About the DementiaCare Project
According to the report published by the World Health Organization and Alzheimer Disease International, dementia has become a global public health concern. The aging population in Europe has exacerbated the situation, leading to high social and economic costs. Consequently, the European Parliament in 2011 declared dementia a health priority for member states, urging the development of national programs and increased research funding. The number of individuals diagnosed with dementia is expected to double in the next 25 years, creating a surge in demand for assistance. Despite drug therapy, managing the complex clinical symptoms of dementia remains a challenge, requiring a variety of psychosocial interventions. Multicomponent support programs that cater to individual needs have been found to be more effective than single-patient support activities in recent systematic reviews. However, their implementation across Europe’s care practices is limited, despite their demonstrated added value. Dissemination and implementation of care innovations are challenging, and adequate training of professionals in dementia management is crucial. Currently, education and training systems are variable and uneven globally. To address this issue, an innovative higher education system that improves basic and key competencies adapted to the needs of persons with dementia is necessary. DementiaCare Project aims to improve the quality of teaching and training for academicians while fostering an inclusive system that welcomes differences.
Through a combination of awareness-raising activities, orientation, and motivational strategies, DementiaCare Project aims to promote the importance of an innovative and highly specialized training model, creating a demand for specific and highly qualified teaching and training. The methodology seeks to support individuals in acquiring and developing basic skills and emotional, social, and creative key competences, which are essential elements for responding to patients’ needs and developing problem-solving and resilience skills.
DementiaCare Project strives to foster the exchange of good practices, new methods of program development, delivery, and evaluation, as well as new multidisciplinary training approaches that promote high levels of teaching and skills development among various institutions and training agencies. The project is a result of the alliance between higher education institutions, training agencies, clinical and research centers, which collaborate and share knowledge, good practices, and methodologies towards a common goal of improving the quality of training for educators working in the dementia sector.
DementiaCare Project specifically focuses on the adoption of non-pharmacological intervention strategies, particularly the use of art therapy, which is recognized as a technique capable of reducing depressive and behavioral symptoms in the clinical picture while improving patients’ overall quality of life.
The primary objectives of the DementiaCare Project methodology are as follows:
1. Provide a comprehensive training program for educators to facilitate a deep understanding of the nature of dementia and patients’ needs, imparting the necessary skills to work effectively in the health and social sector.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of a specific training curriculum designed for dementia educators.
3.Disseminate knowledge and evidence-based practices on how a highly specialized training curriculum, employing “Art Therapy,” can be applied and effectively implemented in the treatment of dementia, thus improving patients’ quality of life.
4.Facilitate the exchange of experiences across Europe through staff exchanges, training courses, joint activities, and other such means.