Alzheimer Bulgaria is dedicated to bringing better quality of life to people with dementia and their relatives and caregivers. Thus they created The Social Store, a social enterprise aimed at supporting elderly individuals in Bulgaria by providing them with an opportunity to create and sell handcrafted items or “hobby-products.” Alzheimer Bulgaria focuses on activities like knitting because this activity is more than just a pastime. Knitting is a social phenomenon that many refer to as “woollen therapy.” Knitting improves coordination and motor skills, reduces stress, enhances mood, and boosts self-esteem. It exercises concentration, spatial navigation, visual processing and memory retention. Daily knitting can help preserve brain function. The Social Store provides a platform for elderly individuals to create and sell their handmade products.
These items are a reflection of their hobbies and sometimes passions that many of the elderly participants have longed to explore throughout their lives but never had the chance to pursue until now. By engaging elderly people in activities like knitting or any hand-made product activity, Alzheimer Bulgaria helps alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive deterioration, while also improving participants’ sense of self-worth and social interaction. The Social Store strives to create a supportive community where elderly people can remain active and continue to contribute to society. The goal is to promote therapeutic activities, non-medical interventions like the hobby-products and bring some new services like art therapy, dog therapy and music therapy. For more information: https://socialstore.bg/en/shop/
