Reminder focuses on personal and social skills, mindfulness, cognitive training and personal development, goal management and reminiscence therapy.
There is a new program for prevent the risk of dementia in the Portuguese population aged 60 or over.
It’s called REMINDER and any citizen with at least 60 years old can participate. People without significant cognitive problems are admitted, but who already present some type of memory complaints.
The program was created in Coimbra, by a multidisciplinary research team coordinated by the University of Coimbra.
REMINDER aims to prevent cognitive decline and promote brain health using strategies that enhance the change of lifestyles and cognitive and emotional flexibility, reads in the information sent by the University of Coimbra to ZAP.
The system involves “not only the monitoring of risk factors (such as controlling hypertension, diabetes, encouraging the practice of physical activity, or cognitive training), but also the prevention of psychosocial risk factorssuch as depression, anxiety or social isolation”.
REMINDER focuses on personal and social skills, on mindfulness for emotional regulation and attentional focus, cognitive training and personal development, goal management and reminiscence therapy (with guided retrieval of positive memories).
already started to be tested by a group of 20 people, between 60 and 75 years old, to understand the acceptability of the program.
The participants “have memory complaints or health problems that can have an impact on brain health, as risk factors for dementia (such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity) are known”, explained coordinator Ana Rita Silva.
For this purpose, there are 20 group sessions (8 people each), over 10 weeks.
There are five strategies in group activities: learning about brain health, exercising memory and other vital mental functions, modifying daily routines with the use of agendas and reminders (among others), improving social interactions with activities that promote socialization and meaning of belonging and still adopt protective lifestyles and cognitive and emotional flexibility, for a healthier life, physically and mentally.
And adherence has been “above average” compared to studies from other countries, emphasizes Ana Rita Silva.
ZAP // 
