CONFERENCE CYCLE ON THURSDAYS | COGNITIVE STIMULATION WORKSHOPS

Population aging and consequent demographic and structural changes in Portuguese society determine the emergence of new realities for older people, which require the development of new intervention strategies. Knowing that more than half of the population already has cognitive deterioration, the current challenge is finding the most appropriate responses to this new context. The available pharmacological interventions, to date, have not shown satisfactory therapeutic results, as have non-pharmacological interventions, although some studies report benefits from combining both types of intervention. Regarding non-pharmacological therapies, it should be mentioned that there are several types of approaches, namely, physical activity programs, cognitive training, cognitive rehabilitation, psychological interventions, aromatherapy, music therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, among other types of intervention. The Cognitive Stimulation Program (PEC) implemented in the social facilities for the elderly at Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa, assumes that it is through well-being that cognitive gains can be achieved and not the other way around. Assuming that any intervention only has an impact if it has meaning for the person it is aimed at, this PEC takes into account the tastes and interests of the participants, proposing properly contextualized and structured activities, in order to give them meaning. SCML's Cognitive Stimulation Workshops have demonstrated that this type of intervention, in addition to bringing gains in the participants' cognitive functioning, also reveals gains in terms of well-being and interpersonal relationships that went beyond what was expected.