FUNDRAISER TAKES ON DEMENTIA ADVENTURE CHALLENGE

Harriet Thomas (61 from Chichester) has embarked on a 900-mile walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats inspired by her mother who lived with dementia. Aiming to raise £25,000 for the charity Dementia Adventure, her 90-day journey began on 1st August and will finish on 26th October.

 

Harriet’s journey will be documented in a podcast ‘The D Tour’ which will capture the serendipity of her day-to-day experiences and delve into themes exploring dementia. She will chat to celebrities such as singing legend Tony Christie who lives with dementia, interview experts in the field of dementia and hear stories of resilience and hope from people affected by the condition. As a singer songwriter, Harriet will also choose tracks to match her mood and write poetry and songs to reflect her experiences.

 

The team from the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Show caught up with Harriet last week (16th September) to find out how her walk Is going and we find out how nature can help people living with dementia. 

 

Going the distance 

On the day that we speak to Harriet, it’s already been quite the adventure. “I’ve always loved walking, says Harriet, but I got really into it after a trekking holiday in Morocco. It was only a five-day holiday but I found that my joints worked better and my aches and pains were gone. I got a lot of joy and wonder from my walks just from the things I could see. The raindrops, the leaves, the birds. I got so much peace from my walks. I was finding my anxieties would drip away – I’m therefore really passionate about trying to encourage other people to get out and enjoy nature.”

 

At the time of speaking, Harriet has been walking for about 40 days and has covered around 600 miles but It hasn’t been an easy journey every day.

 

“There's always a mental challenge, recalls Harriet. “At some point during the day, it will be hard. I mean, not massively hard, but I’ll feel tired or something, so it's a mental challenge to keep engaged and to keep inspired and to keep sort of happy. In terms of physical challenge, I would say the most challenging leg of the walk was the Southwest coast path in Cornwall.”

 

Harriet has been supported by members of the Dementia Adventure team who have joined her on some of the leg of the walk. The charity, Dementia Adventure, supports people to get outdoors and experience he benefit of nature.

 

She’s also met some volunteers who have shared first-hand accounts on how walking in nature has improved their mood and the lives of people living with dementia. Harriet’s daughter also joined for a week and she’s got a friend joining her in Scotland for a few days. 

 

Harriet began her adventure camping (the balmy summer evenings certainly helped) but now Autumn is upon us, Harriet will be sheltering after her walks in the warmth at various houses to rest before her next leg. “I just thought I wouldn’t really enjoy it! I want it to be fun and with the constant rain and having to pack up, it wouldn’t have been fun. Camping in Cornwall was excellent fun! However, it was minus three the other day in The Lake District.”

So, what are Harriet’s top snacks and supplies for when she’s out and about walking? She laughs as soon as we mention food. “I need to actually sort my food out tonight! I think I’ve gone overboard. I think most of the weight of my backpack is food because I’m worried about running out of food. I do love my flapjack and peanuts. I would love to have peanut butter but it’s too heavy in the jar! I’ve also got biscuits and sweets and instant porridge oats. 

 

 

Magical memories 

 

Talking about her mother, who is Harriet’s inspiration behind the walk, Harriet said, “My mum lived with dementia for nine years and it was a while before she received her diagnosis. Even when mum lost her ability to communicate, we made sure that we spent time together in the garden and enjoyed listening to the birds, or smelling the rosemary. It was when we were outside that mum would begin to communicate some words, this wouldn’t happen when we were indoors. I think it stimulated her brain and made her happy.

 

“When I was a child, I used to walk with mum a lot, too. She always had a good eye for detail and was indefinitely curious about the world and had this ability to spot magical things that were happening; she could always see a flower, a cloud, or a shadow. Today I had this amazing walk over Deepdale (near Preston) and I can really imagine that mum is here with me. She would have been looking around and noticing everything. Mum was also a very keen gardener and we would visit National Trust Gardens together.”

 

As well as her love for gardening, Harriet’s mum was a great adventurer, so the challenge itself and the charity, Dementia Adventure, is very fitting. 

 

The benefits of nature

Dementia Adventure has put together a number of helpful resources and blogs to share the ways that nature can benefit not only the people living with dementia, but also the caregiver. Harriet remembers how she aimed to schedule in dedicated time to spend in nature with her mum. “Being in nature can be a real relaxation and relief for the caregiver and person living with dementia. There are also lots of community groups can caregivers can join and connect with to make sure they spend this time in nature. If people aren’t able to get outdoors because of the weather, people could try using craft materials from outdoors and when you are able to get outdoors, simply feeling the breeze on your face can help. The skies are so incredible and I enjoy noticing the changes in the colours through the seasons and even if I’m not in the countryside, you can look up and take in the skies wherever you are.”

 

 Visit the Dementia Adventure website to download their blogs and resources.