Activities the organisation does that represents best practice in inclusive dementia care

• Sensory Trust focuses on nature‑based activities that create meaningful engagement for people with dementia and their carers. Primarily focusing on walking groups and nature connection. 

• Walking groups are the flagship, with over 250 walks completed. Beach visits connect Cornwall residents to their past with the sea being a big factor, woodland walks offer quieter spaces, and flexible routes ensure accessibility during busy tourist seasons. 

• Other activities include pottery sessions, which provide hands‑on engagement and help calm those who may feel distressed in regular sessions. Gardening connects participants with nature and seasonal cycles. While flower arranging is a regular structured activity that provides familiarity and purpose. There is an emphasis on natural sensory experiences (smells, sounds, textures) which act as engagement tools. 

• Creative art sessions also feature natural materials: Sun prints made with flowers and leaves on transfer paper, simple sound‑mapping exercises using paper plates to capture the surrounding environment and nature colour wheels that use outdoor colours to inspire artistic expression. 

• Intergenerational programmes include forest school partnerships, with four‑session initiatives that bring children and adults with dementia together. A flexible approach ensures activities can be adapted when noise levels or other factors become overwhelming. 

• This social connection is supported through post‑activity refreshments, always with tea or coffee to encourage interaction, whether from flasks or at local cafés. Carers benefit from dedicated spaces to connect and take breaks, while a volunteer transport service provides free travel for those unable to drive, helping to overcome key rural accessibility challenges. 

What impact does your work have on people living with dementia and amplifying lived expert voices?

The following quotes demonstrate the impact of the Sensory Trust’s work:

• A husband with dementia “never really spoke at home, but then when they came to the group, he was suddenly chatty”. 

• People with advanced dementia who “might not usually engage in anything” become “more settled” when given hands-on activities. 

• Daughter’s testimony: Mum is “always so much chattier and happier after she’s been to the group”. 

• Carer relief: “There was always somebody there that she could leave him with if she wanted to have a minute outside” 

• Groups provide “space to go outside and do your own thing” unlike traditional memory cafes. 

• Building relationships: Groups become “like a family” with regular attendees. 

• Two ladies both diagnosed with dementia within six months who had also lost their husbands found mutual support: “feeling the support of a group has meant that they’ve come back”. 

• Ex-carers group: Three or four ladies who lost husbands with dementia continue attending as “a friendship group” to “connect with people who are in the same position”. 

• One couple attended for “six or seven years” before mobility issues prevented attendance. Groups provide “somewhere where there’s going to be a familiar face, or a familiar activity”. 

• Sensory sensitivity: When noise became “too much” for a former teacher, staff accommodated her by moving her to a quieter space. There are also activities available online for those who “can’t make it” to groups. 

What key factors have made your work and organisation successful?

• An Inclusive and welcoming stance makes people feel that they can come to the group, no matter what situation they’re in. Provided through free transport, flexible activities and support structures. Participants have a voice in activities and locations. 

• Consistency and reliability are central to the groups. Regular scheduling provides predictable meeting times that people can depend on, while familiar faces and activities create comfort through consistency. Volunteer support is also key, with all groups run by volunteers and at least two present to manage situations if they arise. 

• The Individual needs are always accommodated, with options to leave early or take part in different activities if required.  

• As staff note, “we learn from those situations” when challenges arise, continually improving the experience. 

• Local geographical and cultural knowledge creates an understanding of Cornwall’s landscape, tourist patterns and community needs, while activities draw on participants’ relationships with the sea, beaches and local history.  

Any national expansion projects the organisation is planning to do on inclusive best practices in dementia care and future goals?

• At present, there is limited reach focused on Cornwall due to funding constraints. While direct national expansion is not currently planned, there are definite aspirations to grow through knowledge sharing. 

• The next phase will focus on continuing the existing groups and expanding their reach, while also sharing methodologies and Sensory Trust’s online resources with a wider audience to support the development of inclusive dementia care initiatives elsewhere. 

• In the past, the organisation has benefited from successful partnerships such as the connection with a botanical garden group in Scotland. This link was made through a lady who worked temporarily with the Sensory Trust and runs a group in the garden. During lockdown, online collaboration took place through shared Zoom meetings, where activities were exchanged and challenges discussed. 

Future goals:

• Have plans and aspirations to expand in areas of Cornwall that are still not covered. 

• Placing greater emphasis on knowledge sharing, with the aim of reaching a wider audience rather than focusing solely on direct service expansion. 

Outputs:

Click here to go to Sensory Trust’s website.