UK's first outdoor dementia centre set to expand to Edinburgh after success in Cairngorms

A new outdoor dementia resource centre will open its doors in Edinburgh next month.

The facility at Lauriston Castle follows the success of Alzheimer Scotland’s first outdoor centre in the Cairngorms.

Since opening two years ago, the project at Badaguish has created a vibrant and supportive community for those living with dementia.

Each week, participants take part in seasonally-based outdoor activities such as bird watching and all-ability cycling.

But it’s not just those with dementia who benefit, with dedicated sessions for carers to share experiences and to support each other.

Marion, 81, has been coming with her husband Sandy since November last year.

She said: “I’m my husband’s 24/7 carer. I never knew anything about Alzheimer’s or dementia and I didn’t realize it was so prevalent.

“For me as a carer, it’s just something I couldn’t have coped without. It helps me look after my husband and keep us together at home.”

Centre co-ordinator Kenny Wright said: “It’s not just about what topic we’re on, it’s about how we deliver the session and trying to have a sensory approach.

“We’ll get things that people can see, things they can touch, things they can hear – so coming to events like this has a wide range of impacts on people’s physical and mental health.”

The partnership is part of the Cairngorms 2030, a project supported by the the National Lottery Heritage Fund that explores the health benefits of spending time in nature.

Alan Smith, outdoor learning and engagement manager at Cairngorms National Park, said: “The benefits of being out in nature are well-known in terms of green health and it’s an area that’s increasingly being worked on in the Cairngorms National Park.

“I think a lot of people that live here with dementia now have grown up in the area and it sort of reconnects them to those past memories, which is sometimes the long-term ones that they remember.

“So coming back out to this place gives them a sense of connection again and a sense of identity so that they can remember who they are and where they’ve come from.”