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Dementia-friendly tourism is on the rise—here’s why it’s so important
12.01.2024 - 19:37 / nationalgeographic.com
Scott Cooper’s memories fade all too quickly, yet the 66-year-old Australian still travels the world in defiance of his dementia. He and his wife Jill visit their daughter in Canada twice a year, and regularly explore Australia. His home country is one of the few destinations starting to cater to tourists with dementia, which affects recall, thinking, and behavior.
Cooper says tourism gives him the “opportunity to continue to enjoy life.”
“Traveling can be stressful at times but it can also be stimulating by enjoying new experiences,” he says. “It takes a lot of energy, so it helps me be active in both mind and body.”
Scientists predict that by 2050, about 153 million people worldwide will have dementia. This group of neurological diseases, which most commonly affects the elderly, can cause memory loss, confusion, depression, apathy, and mood swings. Widely prescribed treatments for dementia include socializing, physical exercise, staying mentally active, and getting vitamin D from exposure to the sun.
After a recent study that involved interviewing more than a hundred people with dementia in China, academics from Australia and China claim travel can aid people with dementia, by providing cognitive and sensory stimulation from new sights, smells, tastes, and social encounters.
Yet most tourist destinations ignore the needs of visitors with dementia, aged care experts say. This is slowly changing in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, where guides for dementia-friendly travel are published, and tourists with dementia can enjoy attractions and activities designed for them, from cafés to sensory trails and art workshops.
“All tourism experiences offer elements of anticipation and planning, both of which stimulate brain function,” says Jun Wen, tourism lecturer at Edith Cowan University and one of the researchers of the recent study. “Exercise is often an important component of tourism experiences, and it is frequently included in dementia intervention plans.”
Travel also can aid people with these conditions to grow confidence, trigger memories, and build independence, says Warren Harding, professor in dementia care at Australia’s Macquarie University. “Tourism offers a promising adjunct to non-pharmacological interventions,” he says. “It is not a treatment, but it can provide significant emotional and social benefits.”
Harding speaks from experience, having done many trips alongside his late mother while she had dementia. By carefully planning their travel, he was able to reduce her stress and anxiety. He scheduled outings during his mother’s most alert period of the day; kept meal, sleep, and medication times in sync with her home routine; and ensured she carried ID and details
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