Erasmus+ project Strategic Partnerships for Adult Education financed by European Commission through A.N.P.C.D.E.F.P.
The benefits of using art in enhancing quality of life and well-being are countless, especially for people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, for whom the use of artistic techniques decreases the degree of stress related to the symptoms associated with the disease, related to memory, speech, behavior. Also, the use of these tools helps people suffering from this disease to preserve their personal identity.
For this reason the Story2Remember Project – The Use of Drama and Storytelling in Caring for Patients with Dementia was created
This project will be implemented in 4 European countries: Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, with the help of the strategic partnership of the following organizations:
Asociatia Habilitas – Centrul de Resurse si Formare Profesionala;
Societatea Romana Alzheimer;
The Gaiety School of Acting;
The National Theater School of Ireland;
Grajdansko association Alzheimer Bulgaria;
The Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (Alzheimer Hellas)
Bournemouth University, UK;
The project will last for 2 years – 01.10.2018 – 30.09.2020 and its key action will be cooperation for innovation and exchange of best practices.
One of the goals of the project is to create a set of tools aimed to develop communication between informal carers who are represented by family members and people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The means used will be role-playing and storytelling. Another goal of this project is to create a public policy document that will encourage organizations and communities to become dementia-friendly.
The use of creative drama can be applied to every person as it translates into the needs of each individual. Stimulating memory, giving the sense of empowerment and well-being, increasing self-esteem, are just some of the benefits of using this technique. They help the person suffering from the disease to acquire more appropriate behavior.
The theatrical and storytelling techniques not only help the person with dementia but also help their carers, informal and formal caregivers, providing them with a safe and entertaining environment in which they can communicate. By supporting these frameworks, organizations and communities that are dementia-friendly can also be developed by connectingand encouraging discussions among people.
Storytelling has four main benefits:
• It gives people who may otherwise have limited abilities a chance to communicate
• It helps promote a positive social environment
• It lets caregivers interact playfully and enjoyably with the person with dementia
• It can include gestures, sounds and facial expressions into the story in whatever way the senior can
This project target group is:
• Health and social care professionals working in the field of dementia, day care or residential care (social workers, psychologists, trainers, doctors, carers)
• Family carers of persons with dementia
• People diagnosed with dementia
The main results of this project are the educational program and methodology that will be developed by the partnership:
1.Booklet – “Life in a story: Creative arts and storytelling use for Alzheimer Disease patients’ and carers’ support in UK, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria”
2. Training programme using theatre and storytelling, targeting health and social care professionals for a better support for older people with Alzheimer DiseaseA
3. Toolkit for family carers – Improving communication between family carers and persons diagnosed with dementia, through role-play and storytelling
4. Policy recommendation for creating dementia-friendly communities/institutions in terms of raising awareness and integrating tools as creative arts in the care of persons with AD
For more information, visit the project site: story2remember.eu
This website related to the Project made by the beneficiaries jointly or individually in any form and using any means, shall indicate that it reflects only the author’s view and that the National Agency and the European Commission are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains