Grant: Op Gr.: Eval. of Dementia Programs, Services, & Care Models - Stream 1 - General

Being in the outdoors is important for people living with dementia for wellbeing, physical activity, sensory engagement, social interaction, and community connections. Nature-based outdoor programs or innovations have become more common, such as dementia green care farms, gardening programs, and walking programs. While we know that the outdoors is beneficial for people with dementia, we know less about the mechanisms of these innovations that contribute to those benefits. People with dementia are often assumed to be passive recipients of assistance, but in this project, people with dementia have an important role in contributing to community, to positive change, to environmental rehabilitation as concerned citizens. In summary, we want to explore aspects of nature based outdoor innovations for people with dementia, and how people with dementia use these opportunities to contribute to positive change within their own communities. The purpose of this research is to explore the mechanisms by which nature-based outdoor innovations contribute to and shape experiences for people with dementia, and how people with dementia enact citizenship within these innovations. We will be using a participatory qualitative case study approach, where people with dementia are co-researchers with the academic research team. We are including three case study sites: i) Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow, Thunder Bay, Ontario; ii) the Fireweed Club in Vancouver, BC; and iii) the Trishaw Rides program in Chilliwack, BC. Using interviews, focus groups, participant observation and visual data methods such as photography and video, we will engage people with dementia, families, staff, community partners, and students to gain a better understanding of what contributes to the engagement of people with dementia in these innovations and to their active citizenship. Our research findings will provide insights to create guides on nature-based outdoor programs for people with dementia.