PEMBROKE — Two women are hoping to ease the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in others by stimulating the senses.

Pamela DeRensis and Barbara Deese, of Native Roots, will attempt to do this by using a recently created sensory garden at the Holistic Adult Daycare and Health Services, which is to open soon at COMtech Park near Pembroke.

COMtech administrators are not sure when Holistic Adult Daycare will be open because of state clearance being halted by COVID-19. Ponnell Locklear, the owner of the facility, could not be reached for comment.

Sensory gardening is a non-pharmacological intervention geared toward reducing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. The idea is that having something on which to focus the senses, centers the mind of people with the neurological disorder.

“The purpose of this garden is to create an environment that stimulates the senses, reduces dementia symptoms and improves the quality of life for dementia/Alzheimer’s clientele and others,” DeRensis said. “By increasing stimulation of our five senses, we hope to encourage physical activity through the use of raised bed gardens.”

DeRensis, 65, and Deese, 63, were able to obtain about $2,400 in funding for the project with the help of a grant from the Thomas Entrepreneurship HUB, and donations from the Town of Pembroke, county commissioners Faline Dial and Roger Oxendine, and real estate agent David Jones, among others.

The garden is about 20 by 50 feet and includes stepping stones and a sitting area. It is a potted garden divided into sections. Each section contains plants that appeal to one of the five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell and sound. The “taste” portion includes a small pepper-and-herb garden, the “smell” Citronella, and the “touch” Lambs Ears.

The space is to the rear of the adult daycare and was grass and concrete, Deese said.

“We’ve been out here for about two months trying to put everything together,” Deese said. “We put the fence up. We put everything up.”

The space was chosen to be the first Native Roots sensory garden location because Deese and DeRensis wanted to invest locally in adult care.

DeRensis is a retired tribal liaison for the federal government who wanted to focus on her home community. Deese has worked on the nonprofit side of Lilies of Hope, an organization that provides caregivers for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.

The two came up with idea of a sensory garden because dementia has hit close to home. Both Deese and DeRensis have mothers and friends with a family member that suffer from the disorder.

“If not one friend, than every other friend,” Deese said.

DeRensis is the 24/7-caregiver of her 83-year-old mother and she is positive that her mother’s mind is present but just needs to be reached.

“There’s still something in there,” DeRensis said.

“Yeah, you just have to pull it out,” Deese said.

Both women believe that going the holistic route with the sensory garden gives purpose to their mothers and will to others with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“If you were sick and you came outside to this, you wouldn’t want to go back in,” Deese said.

Native Roots’ goal is to construct more gardens throughout the county.

“We hope to do these all over Robeson County,” DeRensis said. “If the church wants us to do, we’ll do it. If a daycare or a school wanted us to do it, we will do it.”

Native Roots is accepting donations. The organization can be reached at 910-527-0410.

Although the adult daycare is not yet open, people can still visit the garden by calling in advance at 910-852-9811. The garden is located at 30 Drakes Branch Drive in Pembroke at COMtech Park.