- Dementia affects many people’s ability to think, remember, and function.
- Since dementia has no cure, care is often supportive to help people with dementia have a better quality of life for as long as possible.
- New research shows that tourism, or “travel therapy,” can be beneficial for mental well-being and may have several components that can have a positive impact on brain health.
Many people like to travel for rest, relaxation and inspiration, but there can also be important cognitive benefits.
A next studio publication in the October 2022 issue of tourism management presents the thoughts of an interdisciplinary team of experts in both dementia and tourism.
The research has not yet been peer-reviewed, but experts have proposed that there may be significant benefits of traveling for people with dementia, particularly in the areas of mental health and well-being.
Dementia is a neurological disorder that impairs a person’s ability to think, reason, and remember. Most of the time, dementia affects older people, but in some cases, it can also occur in younger adults.
Dementia describes various neurological conditions affecting the brain that worsen over time and is not considered part of the natural aging process. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIH)Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia.
the dementia symptoms It can range from mild to severe, but people with dementia may experience the following:
- confusion
- getting lost or wandering in areas that were once familiar
- trouble remembering, including the names of friends or family
- problems with movement or performing tasks
- repeating the same questions over and over again
- use words that do not fit to describe familiar objects
There is currently no cure for dementia, but some medications and treatments can help control symptoms. Care is often supportive, including helping people with dementia do as much as they can on their own and help them have a better quality of life.
Researchers are still working to better help people with dementia, but many things to promote general well-being can help. One area of interest is how travel can benefit people with dementia.
The study authors proposed the potential benefits of tourism, sometimes called “travel therapy,” in treating people with dementia.
One definition of tourism the researchers used was “visiting places outside one’s everyday environment for no more than one full year.” They point out that the tourism experience has four main components:
- how it affects feelings, emotions, and mood (affective experience)
- how it affects thoughts and memories (cognitive experience)
- how it affects behavior (conative experience)
- how it impacts the senses (sensory experience)
The study authors concluded that tourism can have a potentially positive impact on well-being and quality of life through a variety of components. Still, the literature supporting this in dementia treatment is limited.
Based on their review of the literature and expert opinion, the researchers proposed how tourism can address components of non-pharmacological interventions in people with dementia. Tourism could impact the following areas and many other treatment elements:
- Cognitive and sensory stimulation: Travel stimulates thoughts and knowledge, which can benefit people with dementia. It could also involve experiencing sensations that improve behavior and well-being.
- Ambient: Traveling puts people in a new environment and can increase social interaction, which can boost brain function in people with dementia.
- Exercise: By its nature, travel involves movement and exercise. Maintaining and improving physical function can help people with dementia.
- The use of music therapy: While travel doesn’t always involve music, music can help improve brain function and improve mood for people with dementia. Therefore, trips that have a more musical focus could be beneficial.
- Reminiscence: Talking about and remembering past experiences can be helpful for people with dementia. Tourism can help stimulate memory in people with dementia.
The study authors added that focusing on the components of POSITIVE psychology, such as what people can do, positive experiences and well-being can also benefit people with dementia. They proposed some ways to implement components of tourism to help people with dementia, such as group trips that promote social interactions or trips to places that stimulate the senses.
Study author Dr. Jun Wen, professor of tourism and hospitality management at Edith Cowan University School of Business and Law, noted the following to Today’s medical news:
“All tourism experiences offer elements of anticipation and planning, which stimulate brain function. Exercise is often an important component of tourism experiences, and is often included in dementia intervention plans. Tourism experiences, such as a visit to the beach, offer sensory stimulation to dementia patients, improving mood, exercise, music therapy, and instilling a sense of freedom as non-medicinal interventions for dementia. Group travel can simulate psychological interventions, and music at a destination is in line with music therapy programs for people with dementia.” – Dr. Jun Wen
Although there is limited data, the idea of the benefits of travel is not new.
For example, Andrea Robinson, PhD, wrote in a Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse Newsletter 2017 on the benefits of traveling to mental health:
“Holidays can also improve our mental health by reducing depression and anxiety. Vacations can improve mood and reduce stress by taking people away from activities and environments they associate with stress and anxiety. A Canadian study of more than 800 lawyers found that vacations reduced depression and buffered work stress. Even a short vacation can reduce stress. A small Japanese study found that a short three-day pleasure trip lowered perceived levels of stress and lowered levels of cortisol, the ‘stress hormone’. –Andrea Robinson, PhD
Dr. Wen’s article discusses many ideas that could lead to more research and the development of more diverse treatment options for people with dementia. And he proposes that researchers can further explore the medical benefits of tourism.
Additional research may focus on the benefits of travel therapy in people with dementia. The authors note that there is limited research on how travel benefits tourists with vulnerabilities such as dementia.
The other component is how best to implement these practices. Dr. Wen explained that not all people with dementia would be able to travel.
“A team approach to dementia treatment helps ensure the best possible care, and decisions about tourism as an intervention should be made with input from the entire team, including medical staff, carers and family members. “, said. “From a tourism destination perspective, there are many opportunities to market a destination as ‘dementia friendly’.”
Dr. Wen added that hospitality staff could strive to accommodate guests with psychological conditions in a positive environment. “Certain destinations may incorporate some additional sensory exhibits that would provide a richer experience for visitors with dementia,” he said.
.
