Time in nature is increasingly recognised as beneficial for people living with dementia, with research often focusing on the benefits of physical activity, proximity to natural environments and social interactions. However, limited research has investigated the role of purpose while gardening for people living with dementia. Purposeful activities are often lacking in programs for people living with dementia, who are sometimes excluded and have their capabilities underestimated, especially those with younger-onset dementia. Yet, these purposeful activities may be key to supporting people living with dementia to retain a sense of self-worth and connection to their communities.

This project documented participants’ experiences of purposeful activity in the form of volunteering at a farm producing food for community members in need.

Individuals living with dementia participated in farming activities over several weeks to help grow food for people in need. During this time, participants completed ‘walking interviews’, discussing the tasks undertaken, their perspectives on these tasks, how these activities fitted in with their own ways of being, and how they felt spending time in nature. Walking interviews provide contextual and environmental cues that may facilitate emotional and sensory connection in a way that traditional interviews do not. Their shorter and more flexible time frame provides additional adaptability for people living with dementia.

Walking interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. These analyses describe participants’ experiences at the farm, related to purpose in life. These included participants’ connection to times in their lives when they provided support, assistance or service to others, and their experience of engaging with the natural environment.

This research contributes to understanding of benefits of purpose-focused time in nature, including that it provides an opportunity for people living with dementia to connect with different points in their lives when they have held other forms of purpose. Tips on setting up such a safe, enjoyable, inclusive gardening project are provided. Additional research into meaningful engagement in natural settings is warranted for people living with dementia, especially when it involves activities with benefit to communities.

This project was supported by the Australian Association of Gerontology’s Hal Kendig Research Development Program.

Without intensive practical and emotional support to plan for, and eventually, cease driving, people with dementia are at high risk for depression, anxiety, grief, social isolation, unsafe and unlicensed driving and injury. This study focused on evaluation of a 7-module intensive support program targeted at people living with dementia and their care partners to manage driving cessation (“CarFreeMe”).

Our intervention was person-centered according to geographic location and needs of participants. Participants were encouraged to consider future transport arrangements, plan for lifestyle changes, form realistic expectations of life changes after driving cessation, practice using alternative transport, and supported in their emotional adjustment to the role loss. We collected program evaluation from PWD and care partners via survey, including open and closed questions. Participants reported their satisfaction with content and delivery on a scale of 1-10 (where 1 = not satisfied at all, 10 = extremely satisfied).

We describe our program and report the results of evaluation from 41 participants (PWD = 54%) who completed the survey after program conclusion. There was overall satisfaction with the program, program Content was rated on average 8.6/10, program Presentation and Delivery was rated average 9.1/10. Content analysis identified ‘personalized support’, ‘finding and trying out alternative transports’, ‘psychoeducation’ and ‘a safe space to discuss grief and loss’ as most relevant and helpful to participants.

Findings indicated that PWD and care partners valued the individualized support for the cessation process, and highly valued the psychoeducation components and strategies to address the practical and emotional challenges. Additionally, feedback indicated that for PWD who had involuntarily retired from driving, more focused attention to coping with grief and loss was needed before moving on, accepting support, and finding alternative ways to get out and about.

Informal carers play an essential role in the care of individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This role, however, is often fraught with difficulties, including emotional, physical, and financial. Coping styles and relationship quality have been hypothesized to influence the impact of stressors. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between carers’ coping style, relationship quality, and carer burden.

Cross-sectional.

Thirty-nine PD patient carer dyads were included in the study.

Participants completed self-rated questionnaires including the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Zarit Burden Interview, and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory.

Correlational analyses found significant and positive correlation between carer burden and all three coping styles (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and dysfunctional). There was also a moderate association between carers’ perceived relationship quality and satisfaction and carer burden. Regression analyses found that carer’s gender, severity of PD, relationship quality, emotion-focused, and dysfunctional coping styles did not predict carer burden. Conversely, problem-focused coping style predicted carer burden.

The results highlight that there is no perfect way to react and care for a loved one and serves as important information for practitioners who design and implement interventions.

Driving and stopping driving present challenging issues for older people living with memory problems and the family members supporting them. Changes to driving status impact the individual stopping driving and their family members. CarFreeMe is an existing, effective driving cessation program for older people that may be applicable to older people living with dementia. The purpose of this study was to adapt the program and explore feasibility and key stakeholder perspectives.

The Medical Research Council guidelines for conducting research into complex interventions guided the development, acceptability and feasibility piloting. A multidisciplinary approach was taken, and key stakeholders were involved throughout the process. This included an adaptation process, followed by expert reference group feedback and case series pilot study.

The background research indicated that some key changes were required to meet the needs of people living with dementia. Aspects of the content, language, format and activities were adapted and an additional module was created for family members – whose involvement was identified as important. A more personalized, flexible approach was recommended. The expert reference group [psychologists (n = 2), occupational therapists (n = 3) and dementia behavior consultants (n = 2)] indicated the program was appropriate and needed, and made recommendations for feasibility. Pilot testing with three families indicated acceptability.

A driving cessation program adapted for use with people living with dementia and their families required some changes to meet the needs and situations based on feedback from key stakeholders. Future studies will evaluate implementation outcomes across a range of settings.