Scotland gets its first dementia friendly woodland

A woodland in the Highlands is the first in Scotland to become dementia friendly.

The area around the woodland cabin has been resurfaced to make it easier to walk around and new dementia friendly signage has been installed on the compost toilet and outdoor sink.

In addition, the areas around benches have been made wheelchair accessible to stimulate conversations and activities and staff and volunteers have been given uniforms so people know who to approach for assistance.

Scotland’s walking charity, Paths for All, has been working to help make Evanton Community Woodland accessible for people living with dementia.

Ian Findlay, its chief officer said: “Improving outdoor spaces for people living with dementia is important to ensure they can get outside to benefit from sunlight, fresh air and sensory stimulation.

“If outdoor spaces are well designed for someone living with dementia, they are well designed for everyone. This is important as Paths for All want more people to benefit from everyday walking. Well designed and maintained paths is essential to making walking an easier option, especially, if you are living with sensory or cognitive decline.”

He added: “Working with Evanton Community Woodland and the local community has helped us to understand the obstacles anyone living with dementia has to overcome to get outdoors and how best to overcome these issues.”

The adaptations were carried out with £6,000 funding from the Life Changes Trust.

Path for All talked to people living with dementia, carers, the local Health Walking group Step It Up Highland and also held local community consultations to come up with the best ways to make the woodland more accessible.

There are many barriers which can prevent people living with dementia visiting the outdoors, such as lack of parking, paths and toilets.

Yet being outdoors can be hugely beneficial and it can help to relieve stress, increase self-esteem, produce vitamin D, and exercise the brain, helping with memory and cognitive functioning.

Simon Harry, Evanton Community Woodland Officer said: “The partnership with Paths for All has enabled Evanton wood to build on its work supporting those with a dementia diagnosis. This work aims to provide regular woodland experiences, offering a variety of engaging activities, to those who might otherwise be unable to take part.

“By consulting those who have been touched by dementia, we have been able to highlight, then address, the issues that are seen as major barriers to visiting the woods. We are hoping now to keep the momentum going and look at the next phases of work we can do to further support these visits.”

Paths for All have produced a Dementia and the Outdoors Guidance Note to help improve the accessibility of the outdoors. It looks at consultation, signage, wayfinding, audit tools, sensory considerations and how to consult about improvements with people living with dementia. It is on the Paths for All website at www.pathsforall.org.uk/dementiaoutdoors.

It is estimated that Scotland has around 90,000 people with a dementia diagnosis who could benefit from more everyday walking opportunities.

Paths for All currently support 22 Dementia Friendly Walking projects, and have trained 249 Dementia Friendly Volunteer Walk Leaders.