Tempe developing first-of-its-kind dementia- and age-friendly park within Kiwanis Park

Tempe is in the process of developing a dementia- and age-friendly park within Kiwanis Park, which will be the first of its kind in the country.

The park’s purpose is to provide a safe, secure and welcoming place for aging residents and their caregivers to foster cognitive and emotional health, strengthen relationships and honor memories.

“Most of us never think that we’re going to be a caregiver or that we’ll need a caregiver. And the reality is, probably 90% of us will find ourselves either being a caregiver or needing a caregiver,” Jan Dougherty, a Tempe resident and dementia expert who helped launch the city’s Dementia Friendly Tempe initiative, said in a news release. “It’s so nice to know that Tempe is building a plan, thinking about how we support these older adults living in their homes, living in our community so that they have a good quality of life.”

The park will be tailored to aging residents and those with dementia, with features including wide, shaped walking paths, benches with arms and backrests, a ramada for gathering and sensory landscape to provide a calming sensation. It will all be surrounded by a fence for safety, with restrooms and parking nearby.

Some of the sensory landscape includes sounds of water and music, hummingbirds, colorful, non-toxic plants, a porch swing, lavender scent and a grass lawn to walk barefoot on.

Arizona has the fastest-growing rate of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States, and older adults make up 20% of the nation’s population, but only 4% of them are park users, according to the release.

“What no one tells you is how hard the entire process is going to be for the main caregiver. That’s why I’m helping to push the creation of this park forward,” Nikki Amberg, one of the councilmembers leading the effort for the park, said. “While it’s going to be a beautiful space for those afflicted with this disease, it’s going to be a lifesaver for their caregivers, a place where they can let their guard down enough to gain a few moments of respite from the constant worry.”’

Tempe has been active in initiatives for dementia patients over the last decade-plus. The city became Arizona’s first Dementia Friendly City in 2015 and earned an AARP Age-Friendly City designation in 2022. The hope is that the park will serve as a model for future parks of its kind around the country.

“This park is so deeply personal to me,” Doreen Garlid, the other councilmember leading the park’s effort, said. “It is a thoughtfully designed place where people living with dementia can safely enjoy the outdoors while their caregivers have a chance to rest, breathe and simply enjoy being with the person they love.”

Details about the dementia- and age-friendly park within Kiwanis

The park will be located off of All-American Way, in the former Tempe Sister Cities Garden, within Kiwanis Park.

Tempe is looking to get grant funding for permitting and construction, while a local architect, Architekton, is donating the design costs. Capital Improvements Plan funds will then cover costs not covered by grants. Those interested in donating to the park project can go through Tempe Diablos Charities.

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