Why It's Important to Get Your Loved One With Dementia Outdoors

About Juliet Holt Klinger

Senior Director of Dementia Care

Juliet is a passionate advocate for people living with dementia and their families. She is deeply committed to improving the cultural acceptance of those with cognitive differences. As our gerontologist and Senior Director of Dementia Care, Juliet develops person-centered care and programming for Brookdale’s dementia care communities. But if you ask her, Juliet says she continues to learn every day from the true experts, those living with dementia and their care partners. Juliet believes we need to move beyond the concept of caregiving, which implies a one-sided relationship, and embrace the idea of care partnering. Care partnering is about relationships built on cooperation—a two-way street promoting person-centered care and mutual feelings of purpose, where the person living with dementia also plays a strong role in shaping their care and daily routine. We are here to partner, learn and grow with our residents and families to make aging a better experience. After volunteering in nursing homes in high school, Juliet knew she wanted to work with older adults. While working on her bachelor’s degree in social work at the University of Iowa, she completed an Aging Studies Certificate program, before there were formal gerontology programs available. At Iowa, Juliet also had the chance to study with pioneers in the field of dementia care, an opportunity that shaped her passion for caring for those living with dementia. Trained as a gerontologist, with a master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado, Juliet joined Brookdale in 2004. She is a seasoned senior living executive with more than 30 years of experience designing and executing innovative Alzheimer's and dementia care programs and living environments in both assisted living and skilled settings.

The sun is shining today, and that alone puts me in a good mood. I always feel better when there are buds on the trees and a promise of warmer days ahead. The same is true for people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The need to go outside and connect with the earth’s cycles doesn’t disappear with the disease.

I think we as humans love nature because it is good for us. There are many well-documented health benefits attributed to regularly interacting with nature. A study by the University of Michigan showed that nature walks can significantly lower depression and perceived stress and enhance mental well-being.

The same is true as we age. This research published in the Journal of Aging Health shows that getting outside on a daily basis may help elders stay healthy and functioning longer. In fact, participants in the study who spent time outdoors every day at age 70 showed fewer complaints of aching bones or sleep problems, among other health-related problems, at age 77 than those who did not head outside each day.

Nature therapy, or eco therapy as it’s sometimes called, is becoming more recognized as an important ingredient in overall wellness for all of us, but especially with those living with Alzheimer’s or dementia. But sadly as dementia progresses, people living with the disease have limited opportunities to get outside and interact with nature. Creating opportunities for people living with dementia to continue this important connection is a part of providing good dementia care.

Connecting to nature or the outdoors takes different meaning for different people. For a former farmer, spending time outdoors might have occupational and purposeful importance as well as fulfilling a longstanding normal daily routine. A former jogger might enjoy moving around outside for a different reason.

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