Outdoor environments at day centres for older people with dementia
Short description
This project aims to increase knowledge about how outdoor environments can promote health and wellbeing among older people living with dementia. It also seeks to enhance understanding of how staff working practices can be developed through the use of outdoor environments for planned activities, as a way of creating health-promoting work environments. Data collection takes place at three sites in Sweden, ranging from Laholm in the south to Boden in the north, and includes both urban and rural settings as well as private and public services. The expected results are intended to provide practical guidance for service development and to be useful for professionals, decision-makers and authorities across the country.
Background
Previous research has shown that spending time outdoors with access to nature and animals has several positive effects on health and wellbeing and is described as a basic human need. This also applies to older people living with dementia, as well as to staff working in day centres. Despite this, day centre activities are currently conducted mainly indoors, meaning that many people do not benefit from the health-promoting opportunities that outdoor environments can offer.
Aim
The aim of the project is to explore how older people with dementia, their relatives and staff experience day centre activities in farm-based and urban environments, with a focus on health and wellbeing. The project also aims to identify physiological responses that occur during time spent in these different outdoor environments.
Theoretical perspective
The research project is grounded in the theoretical model Four zones of contact with outdoor environments. The model describes different zones of outdoor environments, all of which have potential health-promoting effects. It also takes into account individuals’ body positions and cognitive conditions, and includes the perspectives of staff.
Methods
The project applies a mixed-methods approach. Data collection is carried out in both farm-based and urban environments at the private service Gärdet Day Centre in Laholm Municipality, as well as at municipal day centres in Falun Municipality and Boden Municipality. The methods used include walk-along interviews (older people and staff), interviews (relatives), ring data, data from smart glasses, mapping of access to outdoor environments (zones 1–4 according to the zone model), analysis of activity provision (zones 1–4) and the presence of animals, as well as observations of outdoor stay areas (zones 1–4).
Expected outcomes
The project is expected to contribute in-depth knowledge on how outdoor environments at day centres can promote health and wellbeing among older people living with dementia, as well as among staff. The results may serve as guidance for service development and be relevant to authorities, decision-makers and professionals working in day centre services.
Related projects
The project is part of DEMSAM and the research project OUT-FIT, which focuses on outdoor environments for health and wellbeing. The project builds on healthcare environment research at the University of Gothenburg and is hosted at Dalarna University.
