SENTIR É VIVER

Anterior Seguinte

The Fundação Dr. José Lourenço Júnior, from Abiul, Pombal, was one of the 36 candidates selected for the BPI Seniores 2022 Prize, promoted by BPI and the Fundação “La Caixa”, out of the 215 applications received at national level.
The award-winning project, called “Sentir É Viver”, is presented with the aim of combating cognitive decline in an initial and/or advanced state, accentuated by the pandemic, in elderly people, with various pathologies, namely with dementia and/or depression. The solution involves implementing a Therapeutic Intervention Program (PIT) with Cognitive and Motor Stimulation in a Sensory Garden, using sensory and motor activities outdoors, in contact with nature and the environment.
The PIT in an outdoor space is complementary to the activities and interventions that take place in cognitive stimulation with Snoezelen therapy in the existing multisensory room inside the institution, inaugurated in September 2022.
The outdoor space of Lar Otília Lourenço, in Abiul, it's refurbished, made 100% accessible, equipped with musical equipment, sensory paths were created to stimulate the senses, tools for physical activity and other means. Personalized interventions are carried out with the elderly for Cognitive and Motor Stimulation, in groups or individually, in direct contact with Nature and the Environment. This non-pharmacological approach is innovative, already tested and validated in several scientific studies such as “Intervention in Therapeutic and Sensory Garden” (Landscape and Urban Design for Health and well-being, Souter-Brown, Gayle, 2015).
By combating the increase and/or worsening of dementia and depression, through physical and cognitive stimulation, the impact is directly reflected in the quality of aging, in the quality of life and well-being of the beneficiaries themselves and, consequently, in the quality of life, relationship with family members and caregivers (formal and informal). The need to intervene in physical + cognitive stimulation activities focuses on the prevention and minimization of weaknesses, the promotion of healthy habits, the prevention of situations of isolation, the increase of psychological and emotional well-being and the prevention of the worsening of symptoms dementia.
The Sensory Garden is also a space for non-formal education for all people, regardless of any physical or cognitive limitation; born as a proposal for social inclusion, in addition to the pedagogical perspective for teaching biodiversity, it is also a recreational option and a non-formal space for educational promotion for sustainability.
Like other initiatives promoted by the Fundação Dr. José Lourenço Júnior, the use of this space it's open to other institutions and the community, with the aim of sharing good practices and in the spirit of the Mission that rules the principles of the institution.

In the development of this project we had help with specialized consultancy from Greenstone Design UK