Nature nourishes the feeling of being - A walking interview study exploring the meaning of participation in nature-based activities for people living with dementia

Abstract

This study aims to explore the meaning of participating in nature-based activities as seen from the perspective of people living with dementia. Being in a natural environment in contrast to a constructed environment has not previously been investigated, even though several studies have shown that nature-based activities may impact people’s well-being, feelings of happiness, and a feeling of maintaining selfhood. A qualitative design was applied in this study, using walking-interviews to explore the meaning of participating in nature-based activities. Interviews have been conducted with 15 people with mild to moderate dementia in three municipalities. The analytical process using reflexive thematic analysis resulted in an overall theme that participation in nature-based activity nourishes the person by creating a feeling of having value as a person. Further, three subthemes were identified: Oasis for being, linking to the past, present, and future, and feeling capable. The findings of this study indicate that sensory stimulation when being in nature promotes embodied narratives and experiences, which contributes to the feeling of connecting to oneself, and to feeling valuable as a capable human being. This provides an important implication for practice that accessible nature-based activities may provide an overlooked opportunity to support self-identity for people living with dementia. However, it is time for a cultural and discursive shift in nature-based activities, where a delicate balance ensures that people living with dementia can derive inherent value from simply being in nature.