European dimension in learning and Memory training of the seniors

SOKRATES/Grundtvig 2 GRU2/2005/14-k-BA-1

“Education for senior citizens“

14th - 17th October 2004

Lingen, Germany

GRUNTVIG 1 and 2 Contact Seminar

Working group created Project coordinator proposed The name and aims of the project set Preliminary partnership Language and the method of

communication Duration of the project

What happened at the contact seminar?

Project partners

1. Lachesis, Office of Expertise on Ageing and Gender, Education and Research for 50 plus people, Belgium

2. Athens Association of Alzheimer´s Disease and Related Disorders, Athens, Greece

3. Municipal Company for Vocational Training Studies - DEEKME, Thessaloniky, Greece

4. Educational Centre „Socialization“, Rezekne, Latvia

5. Centrum MEMORY n.p.o., Bratislava, Slovakia

Project name set:

“European dimension in learning and Memory training of the seniors”

Project duration: 24 months

First year 1.8.2005 – 31.7.2006 Second year 1.8.2006 – 31.7.2007

Project coordinator

Centrum MEMORY n.p.o. Preventive, diagnostic, specialized and training

organization for people with memory disorder and Alzheimer’s disease

Main activities of Centrum MEMORY: Memory training for seniors Activation a therapeutic programmes for people

with dementia Training of memory trainers

The method of communication between project partners

Internet, e-mail – as necessary: before the preparation of a meeting, during the year: in order to exchange interesting information

Personally – during project meetings, 2 times a year

During the project meeting we kept a written record, which was obtained by all project partners - participants of the meeting

Aims of the project

To exchange theoretical and practical information about working with seniors in a European context

To identify and compare the interests and educational needs of seniors in each participating country

To compare the level of care of seniors with emphasis on their memory abilities but also the ability to lead independent and active life

To use acquired know-how to enrich the education of seniors in the participating countries

To exchange experience in developing educational programs for seniors

It was not necessary to change the aims during the project

Project financing

The project was assessed by the national agency Financial grant was received for each year Each project partner, after the approval of the project,

received a grant in their country The grant was intended for: language training, translations,

documentation, purchase of materials necessary for educational activities, general administrative costs, international travel and subsistence costs

Provided funds for project 80% at the beginning and 20% after the handover of the final

reportGrant was sufficient for planned activities

Target groups of the project

Older persons - seniors

People with Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders as well as disadvantaged groups

Employees and stuff of project partners organizations cooperated on the project

Role of the coordinator

Draft of the project concept in collaboration with partners

Communication and negotiation of planning processes

Evaluation activities during each year

Final monitoring

The role of partners in their own country

Determine the level of education of seniors

Focus on memory trainings

Prepare and organize a project meeting

Core activities of the project

2 project meetings in 1 year

Project meetings: seminars, excursions, samples of work with seniors in a particular environment

Getting to know the host country, its characteristics, culture, heritage, way of living

Project activities between the project meetings

Implementation of the knowledge gained in project meetings

Translation of written materials in communication (English) language

Preparation of videos, working papers for partners

Project results

Exchange of experience directly in each particular country during project meetings

Familiarization with life in different countries Comparison way of life of seniors in partner countries Exchange of working papers for the implementation of

memory training during project meetings Creation of groups memory trainers in partner countries

Differences and particularities in individual countries Memory training in Slovakia, Greece, Belgium Handkraft in Latvia The use of music in Greece

Project benefits

Work with the seniors does not bring many opportunities for personal meetings with colleagues from other countries

Non-material benefits - the exchange of experience, new ideas, reward for hard work with seniors,

Material benefits - computer, literature, camera, workbooks for seniors ...

Benefits for target group – seniors

Meetings of seniors - participants in memory training with the participants in the project meant an motivation for further education

A trip to town Banská Štiavnica

museums and theaters visits

Strengths of the project

High level of professional knowledge and practical experience of the partners - teachers, social workers, psychologists

Motivation of partners for cooperation, willingness to exchange practical experience - the exchange of working papers

Weaknesses of the project

Low number of partners Disapproval of a project partner from

Belgium in the second year of the project and the resulting changes in the Schedule

Different experience of project partners in international cooperation

2 years of the project were insufficient for all the tasks that we would like to address

Dissemination of project results

educational events of partner organizations presentation of project results and exchange

of theoretical and practical knowledge of memory training and education seniors during the presentations

Preparing, printing and dissemination of information materials about memory training and Grundtvig in mass media

Thanks for listening

Centrum MEMORY n.p.o.

Coordinator of the project