Bring the outdoors in this winter!

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has been working with Alzheimer Scotland to help people Bring the Outdoors In over Winter. Together, we visited six residential homes throughout the Strath during January – March 2024 and are preparing to do the same again in 2025. Supporting those who face the challenges of dementia by sharing stories and the beauty of Cairngorm’s nature, reminiscing on incredible lives and experiences, igniting people’s imagination and conversation through expert led interactive, sensory sessions.

Highland Wildlife Park has been transformed by the Scottish Wildlife Discovery Centre which opened in summer; three beautiful new spaces, a community focussed activity programme and the growth of a team all with the aim of increasing connection to nature. This project has meant we have been able to expand our offering supporting programmes at the park and beyond with local communities and partners.

Alzheimer Scotland’s Outdoor Dementia Resource Centre is based at Badaguish Outdoor Centre and visits local care homes too. The project enables people with dementia, their families  and carers to experience the mental and physical benefits of spending time outdoors. 

Partnering with Alzheimer Scotland has been such a natural fit, we’re both passionate about enabling people to have fun, connect with nature and celebrate this amazing part of the world we’re lucky enough to live in. Hands-on sensory activities like making and drinking pine needle tea and handling natural objects like antlers and skulls helps evoke memories and means that everyone can get involved and feel part of the conversation.

During their visits to local care and residential homes, our team have met individuals who used to work at the park. Betty Cowan and Trena Miller enjoyed sharing their experiences.

Betty began working in the café in the 1970s. "Initially I was filling in for people but over the years became the supervisor. It was a great job which I enjoyed for over 20 years. My duties were ordering, collecting, preparing and serving food and beverages and keeping the kitchen and cafe clean and welcoming. The best thing about it was being part of the team in the cafe and the wider wildlife park. We got on well together and, although we worked hard, we had some great laughs. We were all interested in the animals at the park. We all had our favourites, and it was always exciting waiting for new arrivals. I enjoyed seeing young people having their first taste of working life at Highland Wildlife Park as schoolchildren or students, many of them stayed in touch after they left. It was interesting to chat to the visitors who came from all over. "

Trena Miller worked at Highland Wildlife Park from 1991 until 2016. "It was like being part of a big family." 

Jo Cowan, Betty’s daughter said “The wildlife park was such a big part of my mum’s life. It was really touching that Trena managed to come along to the session as well because it was a big part of her life too, they both did over 25 years each!”

We are looking forward to running more joint care home sessions this winter and helping more people bring the outdoors in!

Jess Wise

Discovery and Learning Programme Manager at Highland Wildlife Park
 

Alzheimer Scotland’s Outdoor Dementia Resource Centre is part of the Cairngorms National Park Authority’s Cairngorms 2030 programme and is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.