Photo: UW Medicine / SOAR / @nswatzphoto
Kick off the new year with a hike in the Pacific Northwest, an experience tailored for people with younger onset Alzheimer’s disease.
“This really beats sitting around and watching TV all day. I’m going back with a big smile.” This person is talking about participating in the SOAR program, a monthly hiking experience offered by the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center. The name is an acronym for Shared Outdoor Adventures for Resilience.
SOAR is the only outdoor adventure program in the nation designed for people with younger onset Alzheimer’s (diagnosed before age 65). Approximately 10% of people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at a younger age, but dementia services are typically designed for older people.
Photo: UW Medicine / SOAR / @nswatzphoto
“Younger folks can often feel isolated or like they simply don’t belong within other activities such as adult day programs or more low-impact physical fitness activities,” says MBWC’s Marigrace Becker, MSW, director of the Memory Hub. “Staying physically active is one of the best ways to promote brain health, and doing so in a group is a way to counteract the isolation many people with younger onset Alzheimer’s feel. SOAR provides a community, as well as a positive, healthy and tailored resource.”
In SOAR, guided hikes are about 3-4 miles and take place within an hour of Seattle, with bus transportation provided. About 18 people attend each time. Volunteer naturalists join periodically to talk about plants and animals in the region. There are five hikes currently scheduled for 2024.
“I was surprised how good it felt to be around other folks who are as young as me. It was so good to meet some more people in my situation. I also enjoyed when we were marveling at creation together...pointing out beautiful things to each other. People with and without memory loss pointed things out to me. We were on the same level in this,” commented a participant.
SOAR is offered in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation, known for becoming the first parks and recreation department in the nation to launch a specialized dementia-friendly recreation program in 2014. The SOAR program is made possible thanks to a 2023 Innovation Programs Grant from the I’m Still Here Foundation. •
Upcoming SOAR hikes:
Thurs 2/29/24: Union Bay Natural Area, University District, Seattle
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. with van ride from Seattle's Jefferson Community Center, or meet at hike location at 10:30 a.m.
Enjoy 2-3 miles of easy walking trails alongside Lake Washington, with bird watching, nature observation and labyrinth.
Thurs 4/4/24: Redmond Watershed Preserve, Redmond
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. with van ride from Seattle's Jefferson Community Center, or meet at hike location at 10:30 a.m.
Enjoy 2-3 miles of easy walking trails through the woods.
Thurs 5/2/24: Franklin Falls, Snoqualmie Pass
10 a.m - 2:30 p.m. with van ride from Seattle's Jefferson Community Center, or meet at hike location at 11 a.m. (Northwest Forest Pass required if parking at the hike location)
Hike 2 miles, slightly uphill, through the woods to lovely waterfall views.
