From 19-21 June, Alzheimer's Larissa (EENAL) participated in the three-day Pineios River festival organised by Larissa Deputy Mayor of Culture. On 19 June, EENAL volunteers opened the curtain on activities with multisensory memory games aiming at informing people about Alzheimer's disease (AD), promoting mental and psychosomatic health via non-pharmaceutical treatments and developing dementia-friendly networks. The presentation of memory games impressed adults and children alike, who asked to learn more about their function and how to adopt them into their daily lives.
On 20 June, "Along with Ricky" was presented by volunteer Katerina, to groups of adults and children. Participants were informed about the therapeutic role of companion dogs for people with dementia, about the operation of EENAL’s laboratory and about the emotional support and wellness services offered by "Ricky".
On 21 June, the "Merry-go-round" activity took place. The president of EENAL., Eleni Nifli, read a story to groups of parents and children. It was an experiential story written by someone called Christos about his grandfather who had AD twelve years ago. The story sensitised everyone with its message about acceptance of AD, and intergenerational care. A creative dialogue followed, and various mental exercises took place, triggered by the text. The participation in the festival with these two actions, helped debunk myths around dementia, thereby tackling stigma and creating a climate of acceptance and positive social impact, as parents with children and teenagers came to EENAL for information and to participate.
