Reminiscence Walking Trail – Bóithrín na Smaointe

A Reminiscence walking trail peppered with vintage memorabilia designed for people with dementia is in the Con Smith Park, Cavan. The walkway named Bóithrín na Smaointe is an exciting, innovative and culturally relevant development aimed at providing stimulation to the senses and physical exercise, all of which support the person with dementia to engage. It can also be used and enjoyed by all members of the family, associates and the wider community thus making it inclusive and an amenity for all generations to enjoy.

The one kilometre walking circuit is around the park and outdoor adult exercise machines are purposely made for older people. The walk itself will offer dementia-friendly reminiscence installations for discovery such as the following:

• Horse plough
• Old tractor
• Milk cans
• Post box
• Telephone kiosk

These installations create all sorts of possibilities for people to connect and engage with the park. These additional installations provide focus and familiarity to offer something novel and enjoyable. Although specifically targeted for the older generation and people with dementia, the installations will be of interest to all other age groups.