Walks

Do you know people living with dementia who would benefit from a regular supported group walk out in nature?  Dementia Adventure has developed successful programmes of park and woodland walks.  We also have the research evidence and the experience in delivering nature based adventures. We can help your group or organisation establish it’s own regular walk out in nature.  To find out how call us now on 01245 23066.

 

In 2011 we delivered a programme of park walks in Chelmsford called ‘Walk and Talk Together’. Below is a short film of one of the walks which included some of the residents from Boar’s Tye home in Silver End, and many family and friends. We are planning on resuming the walks in Essex in the spring of 2012, more detail about the Essex walks is below.

1. What will we offer? An accessible local weekly park walk out in the beauty of nature, specifically designed for people with dementia and their carers.  The walk is more of a stroll than a hike and there is lot’s of time for sitting and enjoying being out in nature as well as engaging with the sights, smells and sounds of nature.  In total we spend about 2 hours outdoors together.

2. When? Every week starting in April 2012 and running through to October.  Each walk will finish around midday and people will be encourage to stay and share a drink and socialise some more.

3. Why should we come? People who have come on our walks in the past have told us how important it is to get out walking as a group, with people who are living with and understand dementia.  People also told us how important exercise and activity out in nature is to them, we call this Green Exercise which can:

   • Be restorative or healing
   • Reduce stress and improve mood
   • Reduce anxiety, aggression and depression
   • Improve sleeping and eating patterns
   • Improve mobility and continence
   • Improve verbal expression
   • Bring joy and multi sensory stimulation
   • Increase the size and function of the brain’s memory centre (the hippocampus)

4. Who should come? If you are living with dementia in Essex and enjoy getting out in nature then you are very much welcome to join us on one of our walks. You do not have to bring a carer, but we encourage you to do so (particularly for your first walk) as we are sure they will enjoy the walk too. Feel free to bring grandchildren as we have found that children are a key part in the success of walk programmes like this and dogs are welcome too.  The parks we select for our walks have accessible toilets and paths and people who use wheelchairs are most welcome.  If you are a professional and would like to join one of our walks then please call us as there a number of ways we can support your work.

5. How much does it cost?  In 2011 we were able, via grant funding, to offer the walks at a price of £5 per person per walk.  Our aim is to make the walks affordable for all in 2012.

6. What do we get for the price? You will get the help and support of Dementia Adventure, who are fully insured to undertake these activities and trained in both dementia care and adventuring! We fully risk assess and have carefully designed this walk programme so that you have the best possible time.

7. Where will we meet? Locations are still to be chosen, do contact us if you know a park near you which would be suitable for one of our walks and we will come and visit it to conduct our pre-walk check.

   
   

   Please call 01245 269769 or 01245 230661 to find out more about our walks in 2012.