Zakaj smo se prijavili na ta projekt? Katere potrebe nameravamo obravnavati?

Socialna vključenost je v samem temelju družbe, ki jo je treba spodbujati in promovirati, da bi vključili prikrajšane in premalo zastopane uporabnike, kot so bolniki z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo. V poročilu WHO in ADI (Alzheimer's Disease International) leta 2016 je bila demenca opredeljena kot "svetovna prioriteta javnega zdravja". Nedavno so ocenili, da je na svetu približno 46 milijonov ljudi z demenco, od tega jih ima 50 – 60 % Alzheimerjevo bolezen. Zaradi starajočega se prebivalstva se bo število primerov v naslednjih 30 letih potrojilo in do leta 2050 bo prizadet vsak 85. človek po celem svetu, skupaj 130 milijonov ljudi. Zato je očitno, da je treba z inovativnimi praksami povečati in razširiti usposabljanje strokovnjakov, ki že delajo z bolniki z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo, z oblikovanjem mreže in ekipe strokovnjakov.

Primarni cilj je izboljšanje kakovosti življenja ljudi z demenco in njihovih oskrbovalcev, spodbujanje spoštovanja njihovega dostojanstva, zmanjšanje negativnega vpliva na skupnosti in države z ozaveščanjem in postavljanjem demence na prvo mesto. Staranje prebivalstva pomeni povečanje prostega časa za vse večji del prebivalstva in zahteva posebne namenske storitve. Če sprejmemo koncept vseživljenjskega učenja, je treba oblikovati in spodbujati dejavnosti in pobude, ki vključujejo akterje zunaj zdravstvenih in socialnih storitev. Promocija tovrstnih aktivnosti dokazuje pomen koncepta vseživljenjskega učenja, saj lahko s spodbujanjem starejših k učenju rešujemo problem osamljenosti, združujemo kulturo in sodelovanje. Starejši so vedno bolj priznani kot družbeni vir in ne le kot »občutljiva« skupina s kompleksnimi potrebami.

To zavedanje postaja vse pomembnejše tudi na medicinsko-zdravstvenem področju, kjer prihaja do premika od prakse, ki ima za cilj 'proizvodnjo zdravljenja', k praksi 'skrbi' za bolnika. In od tod je bil razvit model GentleCare (Moyra Jones), ki izhaja iz predpostavke, kako je oseba z demenco podvržena spremembam v svojih zmožnostih interakcije z realnostjo. Koristno je zgraditi "protezo" okoli njih, da bi nadomestili in jim pomagali ohraniti svojo avtonomijo čim dlje in zmanjšali stresne situacije, ki povzročajo vznemirjenost, anksioznost in agresijo.

AIDA je praksa kot odgovor na te potrebe in kot sredstvo za pomoč tej kategoriji, da se odzove v družbi po COVID-19 in izstopi iz stanja osamljenosti, ki ga je povzročila pandemija. Dobro je dokumentirano, da kultura hrani in zdravi krhke. Svet kulture, svet zdravja in svet digitalnega sveta morajo razviti zavezništvo, katerega cilj je vrniti upanje v centre za zdravljenje, pri čemer bodo domove obravnavali kot zatočišča in trge kot kraje izmenjave; na telo in dušo vsakega človeka je treba gledati kot na izhodišče in ne kot na neznosno breme.

Kaj želimo doseči z izvedbo projekta?

Projekt izhaja iz analize obstoječih praks, preučevanja izkušenj konzorcija in potrebe po razvoju edinstvene metodologije dela, ki bo lahko naredila družbo bolj prijazno in izboljšala življenjske pogoje ljudi z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo in njihovih oskrbovalcev.

Splošni cilj je ustvariti nov pristop za ljudi z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo, da bi izboljšali kakovost njihovega življenja in kakovost njihovih oskrbovalcev, socialne odnose, okolje in podporo, ki jo prejemajo.

Specifični cilji:

• izmenjava dobrih praks in izkušenj;
• razvoj nove metodologije in delovnih orodij;
• izdelava prostora AIDA v platformi HUBS.

Rezultati:

• vsaj 21 učnih scenarijev, ki bodo oblikovani na podlagi dobrih praks in izkušenj;
• vsaj 21 strokovnjakov s socialnega, zdravstvenega, umetnostnega, kulturnega in digitalnega področja, ki se bodo usposobili za metodologijo AIDA;
• 6 teritorialnih skupin, ki bodo pilotirale metodologijo na lokalni ravni;
• 12 poskusnih poti metodologije, aktiviranih v 6 državah konzorcija;
• Poročilo, ki vsebuje analizo in študijo dobljenih rezultatov;
• 1 razvita in validirana metodologija;
• Vzpostavitev mednarodne mreže strokovnjakov;
• Prispevek k ustvarjanju bolj prijazne in dostopne družbe.

Katere aktivnosti bomo izvajali?

Delovni načrt temelji na ideji o ustvarjanju triangulirane izmenjave med partnerji iz treh projektnih področij. Skupaj bodo sodelovali pri:

• spodbujanje in razširjanje dejavnosti na lokalni in nacionalni ravni;
• soustvarjati programe LTTA in rezultate projekta na podlagi različnih izkušenj in potreb, ki izhajajo iz analize sektorskega scenarija Alzheimerjeve bolezni;
• soustvarjajo učne scenarije, osnovo za organizacijo in vodenje lokalnih dejavnosti, nato pa študije primerov;
• organizirati in spodbujati dejavnosti lokalnega vključevanja na referenčnem področju
• izdelava gradiva za spletno stran in platformo.

Kakšne rezultate in druge izide pričakujemo od našega projekta?

Obstajajo primeri omrežij, ustvarjenih za izboljšanje pogojev te krhke skupine, vendar ni sledu o obstoju triangulacije, ki bi predvidevala soustvarjanje in soudeležbo socialno-zdravstvene, umetniško-kulturne in digitalne sfere za zasnovo in preizkus presečne metodologije: to je glavni cilj AIDA. Projekt bo omogočil združitev teh področij v triangulacijo interdisciplinarnih veščin; AIDA vlaga in se osredotoča na usposabljanje strokovnjakov treh sektorjev, na ustvarjanje učnih scenarijev in študij primerov, ki bodo neposredno vplivali na paciente in njihove negovalce. Projekt predlaga začetek izmenjave multidisciplinarnih, inovativnih in učinkovitih praks, ki izhajajo iz izkušenj, ki so jih že utrdili partnerji, da bi ustvarili evropsko multidisciplinarno ekipo, ki je sposobna ustvariti metodologijo AIDA in jo prepoznati kot nefarmakološko terapijo.

Natančneje, oprijemljivi rezultati bodo:

• Metodologija AIDA (rezultat projekta 1);
• Gradivo in smernice za 2 srečanja usposabljanja (LTTA)
• Validacija rezultatov projekta s teritorialnim eksperimentiranjem v vsaki državi in posledično ustvarjanje izdelkov in podatkov (rezultat projekta 2);
• Projektna platforma na HUBS podjetja Mozilla (rezultat projekta 3);
• Spletna stran projekta;
• 2 Znanstvena članka;
• Produkcija digitalnih in tiskanih materialov za komuniciranje in razširjanje;
• Vsaj 21 učnih scenarijev;
• Vsaj 14 študij primerov;
• Vsaj 21 usposobljenih strokovnjakov;
• metodologija AIDA;
• 1 Priročnik za usposabljanje

Neoprijemljivi rezultati:

• Vsaj 84 (14*6) bolnikov z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo in družinskih članov/negovalcev, vključenih v teritorialne pilote/projekte, ki temeljijo na razvitih in skupnih učnih scenarijih;
• Izboljšanje socialno-zdravstvenih, umetniško-kulturnih in digitalnih veščin različnih ciljnih skupin;
• Izboljšanje dobrega počutja ljudi z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo in njihovih družin/negovalcev;
• Povečana ozaveščenost civilne družbe o problematiki;
• Evropska mreža, ki jo sestavljajo strokovnjaki, usposobljeni za teme, metodologije in orodja interesnih področij projekta.

Metodologija AIDA

Metodologija AIDA bo združila izkušnje in znanje treh področij socio-zdravstvenega, kulturno-muzejskega in digitalnega v en inovativen, ponovljiv in izvedljiv pristop. Rezultat razvoja metodologije bodo učni scenariji, listi prakse/dejavnosti in komplet orodij za trenerje/vzgojitelje/operaterje, ki bodo uporabljeni v praksi na lokalnih srečanjih. Zbirka orodij bo vsebovala namige za uporabo učnih scenarijev v praksi med lokalnimi dejavnostmi. Metodologija je inovativna, saj tri področja projekta spodbujajo dejavnosti za ljudi z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo in njihove oskrbovalce vzporedno, vendar potujejo po vzporednih tirih, ne da bi imeli možnost primerjave in kontaminacije. Zahvaljujoč Metodologiji bodo imeli strokovnjaki iz treh področji resnično priložnost, da se med seboj spoznajo, izmenjajo stališča in ustvarijo nekakšno okroglo mizo, kjer bo vsak lahko svoje veščine, znanja in izkušnje vnesel v delo, z enim samim ciljem: najti strategijo za upočasnitev Alzheimerjeve bolezni in pomoč pri ohranjanju visoke kakovosti življenja bolnikov in njihovih oskrbovalcev.

Datoteke prenesite tukaj:

Pilotiranje

Nedavne študije so vodile do dinamičnega pojmovanja zdravja, ki je tesno povezano z okoljskimi, socialnimi, pa tudi ekonomskimi dejavniki. Zelo pomembno je, da se zavedamo te povezave, kajti če je res, da na zdravje in življenjski slog vplivajo kraj bivanja, odnosi, ki jih imamo in organizacija potrebnih storitev, potem bodo stabilne, dostopne in dobro vodene skupnosti organizirane v mreže sodelovanja med javnim in zasebnim sektorjem, dobro strukturirane zdravstvene, socialne in kulturne storitve zagotovo zagotovile družbo, ki bo posamezniku pomagala sprejemati „zdrave odločitve“. Jasno se pokaže pomen in potreba, ki jo imajo odnosi pri določanju ravni zdravja in blaginje skupnosti ter potreba po strokovnjakih, sposobnih timskega dela in obvladovanja vseh vzrokov, ki lahko vplivajo na dobro počutje in zdravstveno stanje posameznikov. Vzpostavljanje dialoga med različnimi akterji v družbi je zagotovo eden izmed najtežje razvozlanih vozlov, saj je treba premagati konceptualne, jezikovne in miselne ovire s strani vseh protagonističnih področji. Za premagovanje teh težav postane še močnejša potreba po tem, da operaterji na različnih področjih postanejo prvi protagonisti dejavnosti, da se jim prek tečajev usposabljanja, delavnic, konferenc in seminarjev zagotovi tiste mehke veščine, ki bodo potem naredile razliko, ko pride do dejanske izvedbe dejavnosti. Potreba po oblikovanju mreže, ki bo zmožna združevati storitve, kompetence in veščine, je zdaj prepoznana, saj je jasno, da kulturna blaginja ni le naložba, ki izboljšuje kakovost življenja ljudi, ampak ima tudi pomembne makroekonomske učinke.

Izhajajoč iz smernic Orodij in učnih scenarijev, razvitih v metodologiji AIDA, bodo teritorialne ekipe ustvarile cikel srečanj z ljudmi z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo in njihovimi skrbniki na območjih kulturne dediščine. Izkušnje bodo predstavljene v obliki študij primerov in nato digitalizirane.

AIDA Mozilla Hubs

Kot odgovor in v podporo potrebi po oblikovanju multidisciplinarne mreže in metodologije za združevanje vsega znanja in izkušenj, ki vplivajo na dobro počutje ljudi z Alzheimerjevo boleznijo in njihovih oskrbovalcev, je digitalno področje v veliko pomoč. Ta vedno bolj raste in že ponuja koristne vire tako na zdravstvenem kot kulturnem področju. V luči problemov, povezanih z aktualnim zgodovinskim obdobjem, tehnologija predstavlja še posebej cvetoče področje uporabe; zagotovo je treba najti pravo rešitev za združevanje zdravja, kulture in digitala, ob upoštevanju, da so informacijske in komunikacijske tehnologije (IKT) glavno sredstvo za podporo prebivalstvu v času, ko postajata bližina in izmenjava izkušenj vse težja in problematična. Platforme javne rabe, namenjene dobremu počutju, kjer lahko uporabniki ne le izkoristijo vsebino, ampak celo prispevajo svojo vsebino, so odličen vir. Ti bi bili koristni tako za ljudi z boleznimi, kot tudi za obravnavo določenih javnozdravstvenih izzivov, kot so težave, povezane s socialno izolacijo in vključenostjo; težave, ki so v obdobju po covidu-19 še močnejše. Inovacija je v ustvarjanju prostora AIDA v platformi Mozilla Hubs. To predstavlja novo virtualno družabno izkušnjo, do katere lahko dostopate prek namiznega ali mobilnega spletnega brskalnika in tudi prek katerega koli medija virtualne resničnosti. Rezultat prostora AIDA na HUBS bo dostopen prikaz dejavnosti AIDA, ki jih lahko vsak izkusi prek platforme in okolja virtualne resničnosti. Ta prostor bo služil tudi kot virtualna platforma za ustvarjanje mreže strokovnjakov za izmenjavo in ustvarjanje novih vsebin. Študije primerov, ki so rezultat lokalnih izkušenj, bodo digitalno urejene in postale gradivo, ki bo objavljeno na platformi AIDA HUBS.

We are very pleased to announce that the Scientific Article related to the AIDA project - Alzheimer patients Interaction through Digital and Arts, has been released! It's a detailed document that showcases the significant results achieved through the interaction of Alzheimer's patients with art and digital tools provided in the program. You can read it at this link:

CRHACK LAB, Museo Diocesano, and USL Umbria 2 are at the forefront of integrating Art and Technology to improve interaction and the quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.

For the community of users of USL Umbria 2, Museo Capitolare Diocesano di Foligno e Cripta di S. Feliciano have become a special place where art and technology merge to create unique and meaningful experiences for individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. The Erasmus project "AIDA-Alzheimer Patients Interaction through Digital and Arts," of which CRHACK LAB is an Italian partner, has brought a new level of engagement and interaction. CRHACK LAB has promoted and organized a series of meetings at the Museo Diocesano, providing a welcoming and stimulating environment for users of the Local Health Service Umbria 2 (USL Umbria 2). The project's goal is to improve the quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers through the integration of art and digital technology in cultural encounters.

Patients with Alzheimer's often experience challenges in memory and social interaction. The AIDA project harnesses digital art as a means to stimulate emotional memory and foster connections through the marriage of art and digital technology. Meetings at the Museo Diocesano have become a unique opportunity to explore artworks, engaging participants in a sensory and creative way.

During the meetings, participants have had the opportunity to discover and learn about the museum's works using the AIDA Methodology through laboratory activities and the use of digital devices. The Museo Diocesano has become a living laboratory where the past and present merge into an engaging experience.

The AIDA project is actively involving the local community as well. Caregivers, healthcare professionals, and volunteers have participated in the meetings, contributing to creating a familiar and stimulating environment.

AIDA, with its innovative approach, is demonstrating that regular experiences in cultural venues, leveraging the support of digital tools, can have a significant impact on the quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Meetings at the Museo Diocesano have become a positive example of how the integration of art and technology can bring tangible benefits to those living with this disease.

CRHACK LAB continues to be a pioneer in the field of research and development, proving that innovation can be a catalyst for well-being and inclusion in society.

Alzheimerjeva bolezen je najpogostejša vrsta demence. Je progresivna bolezen možganov, ki povzroča težave s spominom, mišljenjem in vedenjem. Simptomi se običajno razvijajo počasi in se sčasoma poslabšajo. Bolezen nastane zaradi odmiranja velikega števila živčnih celic, kar povzroči prekinitev prenosa signala v možganih. Umiranje nevronov v možganih vodi v postopno in nepopravljivo poslabšanje bolnikovega stanja - izguba spomina, težave pri komunikaciji in govoru, nihanje razpoloženja, agresivno vedenje, nezmožnost izvajanja celo osnovnih dejanj. Doslej še niso našli zdravila in Alzheimerjeva bolezen ima usoden konec. Vendar pa obstajajo metode in zdravila za upočasnitev napredovanja bolezni, zlasti če je odkrita v zgodnji fazi.

Pomembno je vedeti, da Alzheimerjeva bolezen ni naravni proces staranja, čeprav tveganje za demenco in zlasti Alzheimerjevo bolezen narašča sorazmerno s starostjo in je večina bolnikov starejših od 65 let. Približno 5 % primerov se pojavi pri osebah starih med 40 in 50 let. Zato naj bi se zaradi daljšanja življenjske dobe in temu primerno vse večjega deleža starejših število obolelih do leta 2050 po vsem svetu potrojilo.

Ker posledice Alzheimerjeve bolezni največkrat neposredno prizadenejo in so uničujoče ne le za bolnika, ampak tudi za svojce, ki zanj skrbijo, je žrtev bolezni dejansko veliko več. Ti statistični podatki so vodili strokovnjake na tem področju, da so Alzheimerjevo bolezen opisali kot "epidemijo 21. stoletja".

Ker gre za napredujočo bolezen (kar pomeni, da se strukture in kemija v možganih sčasoma vse bolj poškodujejo), se simptomi demence z leti slabšajo (na primer sposobnost pomnjenja, razumevanja, komuniciranja in razmišljanja postopoma upada). Na začetku je izguba spomina zelo blaga, postopoma pa napreduje do popolne nezmožnosti obvladovanja celo rutinskih, vsakodnevnih opravil.

Glavni simptomi so ves čas bolezni enaki, vendar se z leti poslabšajo, postopoma se pojavljajo novi simptomi. Simptomi so naslednji: izguba spomina, zlasti kratkoročnega spomina; težave z izražanjem in komunikacijo; težave pri učenju novih nalog; nezmožnost razumevanja; splošna zmedenost, dezorientacija v času in/ali prostoru; težave z abstraktnim mišljenjem, napake pri presoji; težave pri izvajanju znanih dejavnosti; vedenjske in osebnostne spremembe; nenadne spremembe razpoloženja, pomanjkanje motivacije in apatija.

The AIDA piloting in Bulgaria was launched successfully on the 26-th of April in the National Polytechnic Museum in Sofia. The participants are people with dementia and their relatives. They learned more about the project and interviews with them were conducted. They also had the opportunity to have a walk around the National Polytechnic Museum discussing the exhibits with the guides. The caregivers and the people with dementia enjoyed their time together and are optimistic for the next sessions. One of the participants noted excitedly “We had the opportunity to dive into the past!”

Another participant at an early stage of dementia shared with his daughter the following impressions from the sessions:

“The introductory meeting with the AIDA project team impressed me with the warm and friendly attitude of Irina, Kalina and Maya. During the presentation of information about the project and the interviews they did, they tried very hard to make us feel free and comfortable."

Also, they had chosen a very suitable location for the meeting because regardless of the person's age, when you are in a museum, you can always see or learn something interesting and new regardless of your age.

We - the sick, as well as our careers, felt the attention of everyone we met today. They moved chairs in front of each of the exhibits we visited today, so that we could feel comfortable and focus our full attention on listening to the information about them.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff at the museum who gave us special attention. Starting with getting around because there was a person in a wheelchair, going through the fact that they tried to speak slowly, loudly, clearly and briefly, and ending with the fact that the exhibits we looked at were selected according to the professions we practiced or our interests and hobbies.

Today's afternoon brought me the excitement and satisfaction of meeting the new and interesting things that were arranged for us. I am excited about our next meeting and I am looking forward to it.

Alzheimer Bulgaria presented the AIDA project at the 13th "Panhellenic Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (PICAD)" and the 5th "Mediterranean Conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases (MECOND)" in Thessaloniki, Greece.

From February 9-12, 2023, the 13th "PANHELENIAN CONFERENCE ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (PICAD)" and the 5th "MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE ON NON-HEALT DISEASES (MECOND)" took place in Thessaloniki, Greece. The conference was a hybrid conference to allow scientists, volunteers, and NGOs involved in the topic to present their scientific findings and new ideas to help prevent neurodegenerative diseases across the board.

Angelina Kancheva represented Alzheimer Bulgaria with the project AIDA - Alzheimer patients Interaction through Digital and Arts. In her presentation, she highlighted pressing issues that affect society in the context of dementia - the growing number of people suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and the need to take preventive measures to improve their care and quality of life, as well as protect their civil rights. She also presented the main objectives of AIDA - to enrich and improve the quality of life of people with dementia through the integration of art, technology, and clinical care, and the aspiration towards a dementia friendlier society for patients and caregivers alike.

Angelina is a volunteer from Alzheimer Bulgaria. She is currently doing her PhD as part of the Doctoral Training Program in Precision Medicine offered by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Glasgow and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Her primary project is based in Glasgow and aims to describe the complete clinical phenotype of cerebrovascular small vessel disease, a significant contributor to cognitive decline, stroke, and dementia.

You can read more about the conference HERE

Expressing ourselves creatively, emotionally and intellectually is a fundamental part of being human. Art can help us use our imagination to connect with and find some understanding of the world around us. People living with dementia still have the same basic needs to engage with art, culture and heritage, to have meaningful experiences and to be treated with respect.

The Meet Me at MOMA program in New York, grew out of a recognition that people living with dementia faced challenges in accessing art and culture. Using a grant from the Met Life Foundation in 2007, the team at MOMA built on their enquiry based educational model and knowledge of dementia to create the Meet Me program. Art facilitators spend about an hour with a group of people living with dementia and their family members looking at three art works. The facilitator invites the group to make observations about what they are looking at and through these observations the group builds an interpretation of the work. From this interpretation, members of the group make a personal connection to the art work. Personal relationships with family members re-emerged as both the person living with dementia and the carer engage with the art work. Using humour, fun and openness, the facilitator can find ways round the challenges that dementia presents to reach the individual behind the diagnosis. The spark of this methodology lights up the person and helps them connect through emotions and all their senses.

Today, MOMA sees themselves as a connector across the globe. They share their program through workshops, their website and a book. They have trained thousands of facilitators in the US and around the world. Those facilitators have passed that learning onto thousands of others. The Meet Me program is now a worldwide success story.

In 2012, four organisations came together in Ireland to see how they could help people living with dementia to be more involved in cultural spaces in Ireland. The Butler Gallery and the Irish Museum of Modern Art worked together with Age and Opportunity and Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland to tailor the Meet Me programme to Irish audiences. Being in the moment with art was core to the newly designed Azure Tours. No prior knowledge of art was required, participants were simply invited to take part in slow looking and spending time with the art works. People living with dementia attended the sessions with family members. Relationships changed from patient/carer back to family members enjoying an activity together. The Azure art tours are now available in art galleries and museums across Ireland.

The OPW has recently trained guides in the Azure methodology and has started to offer Azure tours across some of the sites in our care. We are delighted to be part of the AIDA Erasmus project and are focusing on looking at new ways to help our audiences to engage with heritage. We are working with the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland and psychologists at Dublin City University to test new ideas and learn from people living with Alzheimer’s in Ireland.

Check out:

• www.heritageireland.com
• MOMA Training resources for running dementia friendly art looking tours
• IMMA Gallery, Ireland, tours and resources for running dementia friendly art tours
• IMMA video demonstration of Azure tour for people living with dementia.

The historical period we find ourselves living through has called into question all the certainties and stabilities on which society and, in general, the entire world rested. The Covid-19 emergency has generated a crisis that affects all sectors and policies and for which answers are being sought that will allow us to move forward. Obviously, one of the most critical issues concerns health and care, not only for those who directly fell victim to the pandemic but also for those who, in various ways, were severely affected by the lockdown period and its aftermath, which we are still experiencing today. This is referred to as post-traumatic disorder, which appears after severe events such as terrorist acts, accidents, and earthquakes and in which, unfortunately, the COVID-19 epidemic also falls. Help for the health system could come from the world of art, museums and digital technology. The key lies in seeing the museum and the digital under a new aspect. The former is no longer just a place of preservation and exhibition, but a space at the service of citizens, where works of art become a “tool” for the promotion of care and well-being. The second is support capable of offering useful resources in both the health and cultural spheres. In view of the problems of the current historical period, technologies represent a particularly flourishing field of application. The AIDA- Alzheimer's patients Interaction through Digital and Arts Project stands as a practice in response to these needs and as a means to help people with Alzheimer's and their caregivers to react in the post-Covid-19 society and to get out of the state of loneliness that the pandemic has caused. It is well documented that culture nurtures and heals fragile people because it moves deep chords with appropriate languages. The world of culture, the world of health, and the world of digital must develop an alliance aimed at making places of care places of hope again, homes as refugees, squares as places of exchange, the body and soul of each person as a starting point and not as an unbearable burden.

On 2 July, AIDA was presented during the event 'Immersive Realities for Accessibility', organised as part of the Social Hackathon Umbria 2022 in Montefalco, Umbria, Italy. The seminar included a multidisciplinary panel discussion on the role of extended reality (XR) in breaking down physical, mental and social barriers by facilitating access to education and cultural heritage. AIDA was proposed as a good practice for digital inclusion and accessibility. Indeed, among the deliverables to be produced, the project includes creating a space within Mozilla Hubs, the virtual reality (VR) platform created by Mozilla's Mixed Reality team.

Last May 5 and 6, 2022, Fundacija Patrizio Paoletti, lead partner of AIDA project, held the Kick Off meeting in Rome to present the project objectives and results to be achieved.

The meeting was attended by the project partners from Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Bulgaria and Slovenia.

During the Kick Off meeting all partners were involved in developing ideas and measures to improve the quality of life of Alzheimer’s patients through AIDA project. In particular thank to brainstorming activity focused on the fields of art and digital, ideas were developed to foster awareness in society regarding the problem of Alzheimer and spread sensitivity on this issue.

In addition it was an opportunity for all partners to organise next activities and to coordinate in the development of project results.

Read more about AIDA project by clicking here!

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