Dementia Friendly Recreation

Dementia-Friendly Recreation provides meaningful recreation and social engagement opportunities for people living with memory loss throughout Seattle. Dementia-Friendly Recreation is part of  our Lifelong Recreation program.

Are you:

• Living with memory loss or caring for someone who lives with memory loss?
• Looking for ways to stay active, pursue your passions, and engage in community?

Our program is for you!

Seattle Parks and Recreation piloted Dementia Friendly Recreation in 2014 in response to the growing number of community members living with memory loss, and the firm belief that people with memory loss remain a vital part of community and deserve accessible opportunities to stay active, be creative, explore nature, connect with others, and volunteer.

With the official launch in 2015, we are working with a variety of local partners to offer engaging programs like field trips, watercolor painting in the park, international folk dance, walking groups, volunteering at the food bank, and more. While most of our programs are geared towards persons living with early stage memory loss, we know that each individual is unique. We're glad to help determine which programs might be a good fit, within our own offerings and among the other options available in the community.

Interested in scholarships for this program? Please visit this page

"The watercolor painting class is a great experience, surrounded by beauty and wonderful people. Painting is very relaxing . . . we enjoy the peacefulness that it provides." - Alice and Paul, participants in "Arts in the Park" watercolor painting at the Japanese Garden

Want to volunteer?

Support Dementia Friendly Recreation in a variety of ways: join our advisory group, be a field trip partner, teach a class, and more.  We especially welcome persons living with memory loss to help design innovative opportunities. To help out, contact: (206) 615-0100 or tamara.keefe.@seattle.gov.

The monthly 'Remember the Hungry' volunteer program at the Northwest Harvest Cherry Street Food Bank is one way that people living with memory loss are giving back in the community. 

For more information about our community partners and other local dementia-friendly opportunities, please see these links:

• Momentia Seattle: A community calendar of dementia-friendly events and programs in the Seattle area
• The Alzheimer's Association offers a variety of support groups, programs and resources including a 24/7 helpline, and an online community that provides Alzheimer's support.
• Elderwise develops creative arts experiences for people living with memory loss, including facilitating our watercolor painting programs in the park.
• Frye Art Museum provides arts engagement for individuals living with dementia, including gallery tours, art-making and film experiences.
• Greenwood Senior Center offers programs and support for people living with memory loss and care partners, including a weekly early stage memory loss enrichment program, song circle, and monthly Alzheimer's Café.
• Southeast Seattle Community Center provides programs and support for people living with memory loss and care partners, including a drum circle.
• West Seattle Senior Center offers programs and support for persons living with memory loss and care partners, including a singing group.
• UW Medicine Memory & Brain Wellness Center offers programs and support for persons living with memory loss and care partners, including a workshop series about building dementia-friendly communities.

To hear more from those who inspire Dementia-Friendly Recreation, please see this link:

• I'm Still Here, Dr. John Zeisel's forum on living with dementia and the value of social and creative engagement opportunities.