Larissa Association of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders

On March 11th 2019, we spent the morning flying the Clean Monday kite. On March 12th, we visited Sxoli Karavana; Gymnasium students (grade 7-9) learned the basics about brain structure and function, understood how brain processes sensory information, as well as how brain “grows while we are growing”. Together with the Municipal Gallery of Larissa- G.I. Katsigras Museum, we co-organized a special activity for advanced students of the Junior School of Art (mostly grade 6), to facilitate communication of sensory experience beyond visual, through visual art. In order to address as many points of brain function as possible, given that we were not allowed to use any educational material, except form students creative process, we extended the activity to the following week, March 20th. On March 14th, we organized a workshop during coffee break, to show how social interaction shapes experience, and that exercising the brain does not necessary involve the pursuit of solitary activities, such as crosswords or reading. BAW activities concluded on March 28th at a remote city location, in agreement with the Deputy Mayor, handling Social Policy Affairs, to show our mutual interest for dissemination; the Assistant Professor of Community Psychiatric Nursing of University of Thessaly Dr Ioanna Papathanassiou discussed the changes normal routine, aging and diseases may have on the brain, described the signs of physical and mental fatigue or exhaustion, presented coping strategies, drawing particular attention to the quality of sleep, and addressed audience questions. We are pleased with the feedback received from minors and adults. We are already working on the continuance of our workshops.

BAW participation was of mutual benefit for both parties. We consolidated our presence in the community and were able to show the relationship between brain and body health, very advantageous for working beyond characterized dementia. We also showed that science may be accessible and appealing to all ages and audiences. The community was able to discuss specific issues not usually addressed in class, with their doctor, or other regular channels. A new series of cognitive enhancement exercises st

It is useful to start working with kids at early age. They are very inquisitive, and it is difficult to approach all their queries, while providing sufficient evidence and examples within a limited time. It is also useful to experiment. We were not expected to have so many opportunities to discuss brain function while drawing anything but the brain, their art teachers neither, and we believe that this was a mutual learning opportunity in understanding consolidated knowledge at early age.