THE first dementia-friendly sensory trail in Australia has been recognised in the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards 2022.<\/p>\n
The Dementia Friendly Forest and Sensory Trail at Woowookarung Regional Park won in the Polytan Inclusive Sport, recreation or Open Space Infrastructure category.<\/p>\n
Bigger Hearts Dementia Alliance founder Anne Tudor, who spearheaded the project, said everyone involved was \u201cabsolutely thrilled\u201d to receive the accolade.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fantastic because up until about eight years ago, dementia wasn\u2019t really considered to be a disability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe trail is probably the most important thing I\u2019ve ever been involved in, and no one person is responsible for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been so well-loved, valued and utilised since it opened by our local Ballarat community. We\u2019ve had 400 people go through regularly, some every day, some once a week.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s inclusive to everyone which is so important.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trail previously garnered awards honours when its designers, Thomson Hay Landscape Architects, took home an AILA Victoria Landscape Architecture Award earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The project was delivered in partnership with members of Bigger Hearts Dementia Alliance, Friends of Canadian Corridor and Parks Victoria with funding from Dementia Australia.<\/p>\n
Ms Tudor said the collaborative design of the trail has been the key to its success.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the single most important factor because people with dementia co-designed the entire project,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe landscape designers\u2026 were very involved with getting feedback and ideas and listening to people with dementia in terms of what was going to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the one thing I\u2019m most proud of, that we had so much engagement with people living with dementia.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE first dementia-friendly sensory trail in Australia has been recognised in the Victorian Disability Sport and Recreation Awards 2022. The Dementia Friendly Forest and Sensory Trail at Woowookarung Regional Park won in the Polytan Inclusive Sport, recreation or Open Space Infrastructure category. Bigger Hearts Dementia Alliance founder Anne Tudor, who spearheaded the project, said everyone […]<\/p>\n