People with dementia often report experiencing a ‘shrinking world’ connected with reduced opportunities to access physical and social spaces. This article applies the framework of social health (Droes et al., 2017; Huber et al., 2011) as a theoretical lens through which to consider how inclusive walking groups can facilitate access to places and spaces to support people with dementia to remain connected in their communities. Findings are reported from walking interviews and focus group discussions with people with dementia, family carers, volunteers and walk leaders who participated in a national programme of dementia-friendly walking groups in Scotland. Thematic analysis of the data demonstrates that participation has a positive impact on social health, supporting people living with dementia to fulfil their potential, to engage in meaningful activity and to manage both their condition and their wider lives. Benefits include providing a context for continuing social participation and relationships for people with dementia and family carers. Additionally, groups provide a safe space where people with dementia can walk with autonomy and help to reinforce a sense of capacity and agency. Wider implications include the role of walking groups in fostering interdependencies between people with dementia and their wider communities by promoting an enabling ethos of dementia ‘inclusiveness.’ The benefits of developing an inclusive and supportive approach to involving people living with dementia in walking groups could extend more broadly to the wider community, with such initiatives acting as a catalyst for growing levels of social participation.

中文翻译：

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“这是财产的一部分”：步行团体在痴呆症患者中促进社会健康

痴呆症患者经常报告经历了一个“萎缩的世界”，与进入物理和社交空间的机会减少有关。本文将社会卫生框架（Droes等人，2017; Huber等人，2011）作为理论视角，通过它来考虑包容性步行团体如何促进进出场所和空间以支持痴呆症患者保持联系在他们的社区中。步行访谈和与痴呆症患者，家庭护理人员，志愿者和参加了苏格兰痴呆症国家步行计划国家计划的步行领袖的焦点小组讨论中报告了调查结果。对数据的主题分析表明，参与对社会健康有积极影响，支持痴呆症患者发挥潜能，从事有意义的活动并管理他们的状况和更广泛的生活。好处包括为痴呆症患者和家庭照顾者提供持续的社会参与和关系的环境。此外，团体为痴呆症患者提供了一个可以自主行走的安全空间，并有助于增强他们的能力和代理意识。广泛的影响包括步行团体通过促进有利于痴呆症“包容性”的精神在促进痴呆症患者与其更广泛社区之间的相互依存关系中的作用。制定一种包容性和支持性的方法以使痴呆症患者参与步行小组的好处可以更广泛地扩展到更广泛的社区，这些举措可以促进社会参与水平的提高。