Dementia in the Outdoors

12/12/2025

UFV CERA team has recently gathered and sent their warm wishes to everyone—happy holidays! 🎄

12/06/2025

Updates: The student-designed dementia-friendly signage for Thunder Bay’s
Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow was recently featured on TBNewswatch and showcased on YouTube — a wonderful example of community-engaged student work enhancing accessibility and inclusion.

The garden will be located at the Centennial Botanical Conservatory.

11/14/2025

🌿 Garden Favourite – Mariko Sakamoto, who belongs to the University of British Columbia team. 🌿

"My favourite plant growing in my garden is a delphinium. I love the multiple hues of blue and how high it grows.

It’s a sensitive plant and sometimes dies off in the winter—it’s also susceptible to windstorms when it’s at full height—so this plant needs TLC.

But it awards the gardener each year with its tall spikes and burst of colour—the local hummingbirds like it too!” 💙🐦

11/11/2025

🌿 We’re starting to share notes from our Dementia in the Outdoors team! 🌸

Shelley Canning from the University of the Fraser Valley - UFV (Chilliwack, BC) shares her favourite garden plants:

“My Stewartia tree glows orange in the fall and blooms white in spring — it’s my favourite all year! My Columbines are now asleep, waiting for spring to return.” 🍁

💚 Part of the Dementia in the Outdoors project — celebrating the joy of nature, memory, and connection.

✨ We’d love to hear from you!
What’s your favourite plant or flower growing in your garden?

Share it in the comments below! 👇

10/30/2025

🌿 Welcome to the Team! 🌿

We’re so excited to welcome Mattea Lewis from the University of British Columbia and Mikalea Green from Lakehead University to our Dementia in the Outdoors research team! 💚

Mattea brings her background in Life Sciences and experience supporting people with dementia through Paul's club in Vancouver.
Mikalea is a Master of Public Health student passionate about aging and inspired by her grandfather’s dementia journey.

We’re thrilled to have them both on board! 🌱

09/10/2025

One of the project sites in Thunder Bay is hosting our first seed-collecting garden activity to prepare for next year’s Dementia Gardens. Come lend a hand and be part of something beautiful for our community! ☘️

🌱 Seed Collection at Adelaide Butterfly Gardens
Join us for a hands-on session as we gather seeds for our Dementia Gardens next year!

⏰ Fri, Sept 26 | 1:00–2:00 p.m.
📍 420 Adelaide St, Thunder Bay, ON P7A 7T8
RSVP: [email protected] or 807-343-8010 ext. 7268 (Jiaqi)

Bring a hat and comfy shoes. Weather permitting. Chairs & water provided.

💚 If you’d like to support this work, please donate here:
https://ec.lakeheadu.ca/giving/projects/node/684?fbclid=IwAR3I_J0u5WqvrD9DCuWaNq-ry8HW_aoeM5QNpMT_4W0M730ReAMBdeVH1yg

07/31/2025

Meet the University of British Columbia Dementia in the Outdoors research team!💚
In Vancouver, Dr. Alison Phinney, Dr. Mariko Sakamoto, and Andrea Sara work with the Fireweed Club, a collaborative project that brings a variety of outdoor activities to older adults. We asked our team what their favourite activity to do in the outdoors is, and here are their answers!
We cannot wait to introduce you to our external partners.💚

07/25/2025

Meet the University of the Fraser Valley - UFV Dementia in the Outdoors research team!💚
In British Columbia, Dr. Shelley Canning, Dr. Alison Pritchard Orr, Marinel Kniseley, and Owen Swan organize and operate the Tri-Shaw Bike program. We asked our team what their favourite activity to do in the outdoors is, and here are their answers!
We cannot wait to show you the other members of our research team from the University of British Columbia and our external partners.💚

07/11/2025

Meet the Lakehead University Dementia in the Outdoors research team!💚
Located in Northwestern Ontario, Dr. Elaine Wiersma, Bill Heibein, Dr. Nisha Sutherland, Dr. Lindsay Galway, Jiaqi Li, Carlina Marchese, Abbey Hunter, and Maaja Sepa are hard at work to make Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow a reality. We asked our team what their favourite activity to do in the outdoors is, and here are their answers!
We cannot wait to show you the other members of our research team from the University of British Columbia and the University of the Fraser Valley - UFV. 💚

07/02/2025

We are thrilled to share this article by Elim Village and the University of the Fraser Valley - UFV. "Finding Joy in the Journey: How Trishaw Rides Help Seniors Reconnect with Nature and Each Other" features Doug and Sheila. This article talks about their experience on the trishaw!

For years, the Vedder River Trail was a special place for Doug and Sheila Johnston – a familiar path they loved to walk together. But when Sheila’s health

06/26/2025

🐞Meet Dementia in the Outdoors research centres!🌲
The Dementia in the Outdoors project involves three research centres across Canada. We are excited to conduct research with numerous research institutes, including the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health in Thunder Bay, the Centre for Research on Personhood in Dementia in Vancouver, and Centre for Education and Research on Aging in Chilliwack. We are so excited to share this research with you from our various research centres!
Lakehead University University of British Columbia University of the Fraser Valley - UFV