In the woods near Loch Morlich, a group of people with dementia have met each month since Autumn 2017. They are a talented and knowledgeable bunch of people who have got ‘stuck in’ to a range of activities including woodlands walks, wildlife surveys and wood carving. We are fortunate to have been able to make a film showcasing the project:
In March last year, it became obvious that the Tipi Project, like all other community groups, would be suspended due to the national lockdown restrictions. Fortunately, we were able to organise a final session before lockdown to say cheerio to our group. We knew we were facing a crisis but we were all relatively cheerful and expected to see each other again round the campfire in a few months. “See you later, isolator” said David...
15 months later, with restrictions easing and the seasons changing, there is a sense of renewal. For the Tipi Project, this takes the form of new guidelines enabling us to provide small outdoor groups sessions again. Consequently, we are now planning our first tipi session in 15 months - there could be no better time to do so than Dementia Awareness Week.
Now more than ever before, we recognise the importance of spending time in the outdoors for our wellbeing. We have long since recognised the potential for the Tipi Project to place people with dementia at the forefront of the emerging green health agenda. Similarly, never before has staying connected been so important for people with dementia.
We are looking forward to inviting the group back to the tipi and sitting round the fire again - albeit 2m apart. We are very sad that several members of the group are not here anymore to join us - the hidden impact is all too real - but we’ll toast absent friends and look forward to nurturing the green shoots of recovery during Dementia Awareness Week.