On 20 November, Inês Saavedra from SHINE 2Europe represented the Memorable consortium at the 45º Congresso Português de Geriatria e Gerontologia in Lisbon.
The presentation highlighted the consortium’s work in co-creating a curriculum specifically designed for professionals in arts and cultural institutions. The aim of the curriculum is to equip these professionals with the tools needed to make their institutions more inclusive for people living with dementia and to design activities tailored to this audience.
The presentation also outlined the methodology, which involved desk research, interviews with informal caregivers, people living with dementia, and experts in psychology, dementia, arts, and cultural institutions. The team is now analysing the results from co-creation sessions conducted across all consortium countries: Portugal, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland, which will inform the refinement of both the curriculum and related policy recommendations.
The presentation highlighted findings from the Portuguese research, emphasising the relevance of existing good practices, such as EU no musEU, Marcar o Lugar, and the MiD Network, as well as the barriers faced by professionals, including stigma, limited activities depending on urban or rural contexts, and the need for training in understanding dementia and ageing, effective communication strategies, raising awareness of stigma, person-centred methodologies, and adapting spaces using universal design principles.
At a congress primarily focused on gerontology, it was especially valuable to highlight the role of non-pharmacological interventions, demonstrating how the Memorable project leverages art and culture as a means to enhance the well-being and quality of life of people living with dementia.
