Dementia Friendly Outdoor Activities

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a degenerative condition that impairs various cognitive processes, including memory loss and speech. However, those who have dementia can still maintain a high quality of life with the right care and support. Dementia is a condition that can affect anyone at any time, regardless of how old they are. It’s important to recognise the early signs of dementia so that someone living with the condition can have access to the necessary help they need and deserve. 

Activities for People with Dementia

There are plenty of activities that those living with dementia can take part in. However, being able to participate while outside enjoying the fresh air and the very best that nature has to offer can make everything feel a lot more relaxed and easier to cope with. 

If you’re looking for some summer activities for seniors with dementia and the sun is shining, we encourage those with dementia to venture outside and soak up some vitamin D. However, if the clouds are looking a little more grey than expected, all of the following activities can be moved inside if needed. 

Gardening

Taking part in gardening can really help individuals living with dementia, especially when it comes to socialising and interacting with others. Creating shared experiences throughout an activity such as this is key to establishing friendships and connections with those around them. 

Both participating in physical activity and stimulating the senses can really help when it comes to maintaining and improving an individual's sense of well-being, as well as staying active and staying connected to precious memories. Gardening benefits both your mental and physical health by keeping you moving, and the therapeutic benefits of gardening, visiting garden centres, and being outside are unparalleled.

Writing & Reading

Reading and writing have been demonstrated in studies to boost memory skills and assist in minimising symptoms of dementia. Settling down with a good book, either one you’ve read before or one you’ve never picked up, is a fantastic way to keep your brain active. Being read to can also spark the imagination of those who struggle to read themselves. If reading isn’t something that’s of particular interest to you, however, how about picking up a pen and writing down your thoughts? 

Writing your thoughts, feelings and memories down can be an incredibly cathartic process, and can really help when it comes to maintaining cognitive functions. Either way, the power of words is certainly not to be underestimated. 

Arts & Crafts 

Those living with dementia have been known to really engage with and benefit from creative activities such as painting and creating art, which allows for nonverbal expression to take place. Taking part in some summer crafts for seniors with dementia and other creative activities allows those affected to take a moment for themselves, while also figuring out the best ways to minimise anxiety for themselves as individuals. 

In our Arts & Crafts workshops at Ridgeway Rise, we like to do easy crafts that our residents have the option of making more challenging. For example, making paper flowers out of crepe paper and tissue paper is one of many dementia activities we encourage our residents to take part in. 

Painting has also been known to increase an individual's mood while also providing a sense of accomplishment and purpose for each and every resident. What's even better is that there is no singular approach to art and painting. What matters most is that a person living with dementia can work on their existing abilities and interests, instead of being overwhelmed or frustrated.

Taking part in these activities in a safe, home environment can help individuals who have been diagnosed with dementia feel more connected to the world around them. Whatever stage of dementia our older adults are in, with the help of our nurses and our residents' friends and family members, we can work together to administer the person-centred care they deserve. 

A lot of care homes have their own garden or outdoor space and in the summer, activities that are usually hosted inside can be brought outside when the sun is shining. This could include activities such as sing-a-longs, painting, afternoon tea, and ball games.

Dementia Care at Ridgeway Rise

Our facility is a dementia-friendly home, and it’s been built to offer people with dementia a safe, comforting atmosphere. All members of our dementia care team have completed extensive, specialised training in addressing all components and degrees of dementia severity. We take a lot of pride in offering the best standards of care and respect for every individual, and our team is well trained to comprehend all intricate and sensitive areas of dementia.

At Ridgeway Rise, we really enjoyed getting involved with Dementia Action Week and all the activities it had to offer. The events we held made it increasingly evident that there were a number of people just beginning their journey with dementia who, having recently received a diagnosis, felt somewhat lost and unsure of the next steps they should take. The event did an excellent job of showcasing the options available to people and providing them with knowledge, direction, and—most importantly—assurance that they are not alone. We regularly host fundraisers and events for Alzheimer's Society as well as support international fundraisers.

When it comes to raising awareness and creating a dementia-friendly community here in Swindon, Ridgeway Rise is proud to lead the way. We actively contribute to the town around us, and when we attended our Dementia Action Week events, it was incredible to watch both our residents and the local members of the community come together and help each other when they need it most.

Our caregivers and activity coordinators go above and beyond here at Ridgeway Rise. They do this every single day by working closely with individuals who are living with dementia to find therapies and activities that are suitable for their individual needs and to help them thrive while staying with us. Through regularly scheduled activities, social and mental stimulation, and interaction, dementia symptoms are often lessened, and any frustrations and tensions related to dementia are significantly relieved.

A few of the dementia activities we incorporate in our home include memory boxes that are placed outside the bedrooms of our residents. The memory boxes help individuals find their way back to their room and are great conversation starters for when residents look through them to find objects or photos from their younger days which encourages reminiscence.

We have memory boxes that are also full of activities. These include anything from knitting to gardening, lifestyle, and old-fashioned tools. In our garden, we have a vegetable patch where residents can help to plant and pick pumpkins, cucumbers, spring onions, and herbs.

We have strong links with the community in Swindon and get regularly invited to the Highworth's Forget-Me-Not Café, where our residents can enjoy music afternoons with the local Harmony Group and take part in fun quizzes.

We also regularly attend Wyvern Theatre Memory Café which is a local group that we have attended for many years, and back in April, residents were surprised with a visit from Alpacas. The residents thoroughly enjoyed petting the Alpacas and interacting with them. An activity such as animal therapy is known to improve emotional wellbeing as it allows residents to meet many animals and reminise about their much-loved pets.

Learn More About Dementia Care

Ridgeway Rise Care Home has everything you need to help support you throughout your stay, from spacious facilities to a fully qualified team of professionals. Whether you need assistance after a hospital stay or are searching for a safe, home-away-from-home for a loved one living with dementia to move into, we're here to help.

Our home is more than just a residential community; it's a place where individuals of all backgrounds may live in safety, confident that whatever life throws at them, they are in good hands. We can improve residents' wellness, sense of routine, and quality of life by providing the highest calibre of care combined with a range of enriching activities.

Any queries, questions, or concerns you may have regarding the outdoor activities for seniors with dementia we provide here at Ridgeway Rise are welcome. Reach out to our care staff by calling 01793987730 or sending an email to info@ridgewayrise.com if you have any thoughts.