Hello 

Welcome to the spring edition of our Dementia Friendly Walking newsletter.

It contains a smorgasbord of news, developments, reports, resources and heartwarming stories to inspire you to keep developing your Dementia Friendly Walking groups. 

If you would like to get in touch with us please drop us an email at: dementiafriendly@pathsforall.org.uk

From Carl and Kayleigh - your Dementia Friendly Walking team.

P.S. You can also stay up-to-date with all Paths for All's news by subscribing to our monthly eNews.

Care homes step up to tackle climate change

We have been awarded £7,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund: Together for Our Planet to support care home staff and residents across Perth and Kinross respond to the climate emergency by becoming more sustainable.

Dementia Friendly Walking award presented to Walk on Hebrides

We have presented our Dementia Friendly Walking accreditation to Walk on Hebrides in the Western Isles for their walks in:

- North Bay in Barra
- Grimsay in North Uist
- Uig in West Lewis
- Pairc and Kinloch in the south of Lewis.

New dementia friendly space at the National Path Demonstration Site

A dementia friendly outdoor space has been created at the National Path Demonstration Site in West Lothian to showcase best practice in inclusive design, infrastructure, ongoing management and maintenance of paths.

It features adaptative seating, strength and balance exercise points and wayfinding signage to demonstrate how outdoor spaces can be designed to be more inclusive.

Walking and talking started Jessie and Alice's volunteering journey

Friends, Jessie and Alice, inspired the Reverend Helen Jamieson of Carluke’s Church of Scotland to form a Dementia Friendly Health Walk. 

Working with Crossreach Heart for Art, Playlist for Life and Get Walking Lanarkshire the church supports people living with dementia and their carers.

The legacy of the Life Changes Trust

Life Changes Trust, which funded the development of our Dementia Friendly Walking project has just published an evaluation of their work, carried out by researchers at the University of Stirling. It tells the story of how and why the trust was formed, the impact of their work and more. We feature as an example of how our social media content on the Dementia Friendly Walking project has created networks and shared information (see pages 126-7) and there is a case study on Kirrie Connections in Kirriemuir who run a Health Walk amongst other activities.

Life Changes Trust will close at the end of March, although a few grants officers will stay on until September and Age Scotland's About Dementia team will continue the legacy work of the trust.

The report highlights the importance of ongoing publicity by Dementia Friendly Walking groups and how they can help people to live well with the condition in their community.

Care homes are caring for nature

Seven care homes in Perth and Kinross involved in our Care About Walking project received word bird boxes, designed by our artist in residence Alec Finlay, to provide meaningful nature-based outdoor activities for their residents.

During National Bird Box Week, in February, Richmond House Care home in Crieff unveiled their word bird box. 

The bird box is hanging on an apple tree in their garden with the word "apple" hidden within the lines: "a fruit snack and a nap please". Have you found the word?

Dementia Friendly Health Walk accreditation

More Dementia Friendly Health Walks have received our accreditation.

Fife: St Andrews Health Walks run by Pilgrim Care.
Shetland: Walk da Rock's Lerwick, Fjara and Iselesburgh Health Walks. 

Health Walk reminder postcard

Did you know our free-of-charge Health Walk reminder postcards are available to help your walkers remember when their walks are taking place?

Other news

Spring is a great time to do small kind things to improve the places where you walk to keep you active and connected to nature. Our Walking with Nature campaign has lots of ideas to help you de-stress, relax and feel more energised.

Working with Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care partnership our Care About Walking and Strength and Balance resources are being made available in all care homes, hospital wards, including specialist dementia care units, sheltered housing, day care and care at home settings.

Watch our recent Inclusive Design and Dementia Friendly Environments webinar for more ideas on how we can make outdoor spaces more welcoming and accessible.

A new resource Physical Activity and Exercise Ideas for People Living with Dementia from Alzheimer Scotland suggests joining a Health or Dementia Friendly Walk, amongst its many other ideas. 

The Making Walks Sensory toolkit includes advice on planning walks and sensory activities. 

Age Scotland has published a guide outlining good practice when talking about older people to avoid ageist attitudes.

Scotland's Green Health Partnerships in Highland, North Ayrshire and Dundee have received £600,000 of funding.

£300,000 has been awarded to 14 Dementia Meeting Centres across Scotland.

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You can also stay up-to-date with all Paths for All's news by subscribing to our monthly eNews.