How Day Trips Support People with Dementia
One of the biggest impacts dementia has on a person is reducing their memory and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, this well-known characteristic of the disease stems from the true experiences of those who have watched their loved ones live with the disease. However, activities and day trips out are great reminiscence therapy for dementia, which can help memory and emotional expression.
Day trips out are a valuable part of a care plan and dementia care because they enhance emotional and physical well-being. We have all experienced how a brisk walk and some fresh air can blow the cobwebs away, and for your loved one living with dementia, it is no different.
Taking a day trip out provides stimulation your loved one doesn’t get in our care home, which helps trigger memories and cognitive function. At LuxuryCare, we love taking our residents on a trip to the local area, be it the beach, a garden centre or down to Poole Harbour for some fresh sea air. In this blog, we share how trips out and about improve the well-being of your loved one living with dementia.
The Importance of Emotional Connection and Reminiscence
Unfortunately, because dementia impacts so much of the brain and its cognitive functions, emotional connections can easily be lost. This might be through lack of stimulation or communication with a loved one, or because they stop using the functions they do have.
However, emotions and familiar experiences (memories) can remain accessible even as your loved one’s memory and cognitive functions decline. But this is only possible through reminiscence therapy for dementia.
Most reminiscence therapies are based on engaging activities, which open the door to a social and emotional connection with other residents in the care home, staff and sometimes, more importantly, you and your family.
Because of this, activities can spark positive emotions, which has a multitude of benefits:
- Improve mood
- Reduce anxiety
- Enhance communication
This is why reminiscence activities are so important in dementia care.
The Role of Sensory Stimulation in Dementia Care
We are sure you have all experienced a smell taking you back to a day out, a holiday with the family or just an experience you have had.
For a loved one with dementia, these can be heightened, and sensory stimulation can be a crucial part of reminiscence therapy for dementia.
All five senses frequently enable those living with dementia to connect with their past. Triggering memories through stimulants on a trip, such as a nature walk, an event, or a historical location, can bring comfort to your loved one.
The Benefits of Day Trips for Dementia Care
We find that these trips provide mental stimulation that differs from the activities and surroundings at our care home, and they foster social interactions with people outside the homes, as well as with other residents and staff.
This stimulation and the new surroundings trigger positive memories and emotions as they are opportunities for our residents to reconnect with their past. The different places we visit engage their senses, which, as we are sure you know, are strong memory triggers.
Our day trips are varied because different surroundings will evoke different memories and emotions.
- Nature and outdoor spaces – sights, sounds and scents of the outdoors are likely to trigger long-held memories of childhoods spent outside, walking, seaside holidays or adventures in the forest. Plus, nature has been shown to reduce anxiety and agitation.
- Historical and cultural sites – museums, heritage sites and local landmarks expose your loved one to familiar surroundings, artefacts, stories and settings. These settings encourage storytelling and conversations that help your loved one reconnect with their personal history.
- Familiar places and community outings – revisiting a familiar church, a favourite cafe or a market they used to frequently go to provides a deep sense of comfort and belonging as they reinforce your loved one’s identity by reminding them of their habits and social connections.
On top of the memories triggered and the emotions that come with those, day trips combat the isolation and loneliness that often come with a diagnosis of dementia.
- Encourage social engagement – group outings allow your loved one to interact with caregivers, other residents and the public. These conversations, shared experiences, and laughter boost emotional well-being.
- Fostering a sense of routine and purpose – structured day trips give residents something to look forward to, breaking up the monotony of routines. This excitement often provides them with a purpose, especially when the activity is highly rewarding, such as feeding the ducks or going to a community event.
- Boosts confidence and independence – dementia can often make your loved one feel like they are losing control, but days out offer a sense of agency and autonomy. Being able to explore an area, choose their own lunch or engage with the world outside the care home can make them feel independent and enhance their self-worth.
How LuxuryCare Creates Meaningful Experiences for Residents
At LuxuryCare, we are dementia care specialists. Our bespoke care plans are centred around stimulating your loved one in unique and engaging ways that create positive emotions and trigger happy memories that comfort your loved one.
As well as a varied and dynamic reminiscence therapy for dementia activities put on in our care home each day, we also arrange regular day trips out to the local area.
Typical trips will include visiting:
- The beach
- Garden centres
- Public gardens
- Poole Quay
- Compton Acres
- Museums
- Theatres and cinemas
If you want to learn more about how we incorporate these activities into your loved ones’ bespoke care plan to enhance physical and emotional well-being, we recommend visiting your local care home.
On your visit, we will discuss what trips we organise regularly and the impact we see they have on our residents. Plus, you will be able to join in any activities that are on or at meal times.
Call us on 01202 037373 or complete our online contact form to arrange a visit today.
