Travel can be therapeutic for adults with dementia or memory problems.
Some Australian researchers suggest that a break from the daily grind has mental and physical health benefits, even for adults with dementia.
“Treatments for dementia include music therapy, exercise, cognitive stimulation, memory therapy, sensory stimulation, and adaptations of the patient's meal times and environment.
All this also happens during the holidays”, indicated the leader of the study, John Wayne, university professor of Tourism and Management. Hospitality at Edith Cowan University School of Law and Business
In an article published in the Journal of Tourism Management, Wayne and his research colleagues suggested that travel therapy, such as music therapy and art therapy, should be an option for adults with dementia.
"This study is one of the first to address the idea that these travel experiences could be a treatment for dementia," he explains.
The researchers propose that on a vacation
- Traveling offers us the opportunity to activate the brain through interaction with people
- Traveling makes people visit new places and “experience new emotions, moods
- Travel also often requires adults with dementia to walk or move more
While some studies have shown the benefits of travel for the general population, more research is needed to show how it can improve the lives of people with conditions such as dementia, pruritus and depression, Wayne said.
References
aarp.org
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