Promoted by AGILidades, a spin-off of the Polytechnic of Leiria, the winning project in the Life+ Participation category of the 8th edition of the Good Practices in Active and Healthy Ageing Award of the Central Region aims to raise awareness among children about building empathetic and inclusive communities, promoting citizenship and social responsibility from the earliest stages of life.
The various award winners were announced on December 10, during the 12th Congress on Active and Healthy Ageing of the Central Region, held at the Convent of São Francisco in Coimbra. The event aimed to foster reflection on current challenges in the field of ageing through the presentation of the finalist projects of this edition.
The Córtex School Bag Project is pioneer in Portugal in introducing the topic of dementia in primary schools, which is in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) principles of age-friendly communities. The project comprises three elements: a musical children’s book entitled When Grandma’s Factory Breaks Down…, which tells the story of the relationship between a grandchild and a grandmother following a dementia diagnosis; a board game, Neuromania, designed to promote active and playful learning, showing how children can understand and help someone with dementia; and a teacher’s guide that supports addressing the disease in a school context.
The project benefits from a partnership with the Pombal Parish Council, where it was possible to implement the initiative in coordination with the Aldeias 65+ program and local schools, aiming to create the first Network of Age-Friendly Schools.
“This award is a very meaningful recognition of the work we have been developing at AGILidades, but above all it is a sign that raising awareness about dementia can—and should—start early,” says Marlene Rosa, founder of AGILidades and lecturer at the School of Health Sciences of the Polytechnic of Leiria. “Seeing this project distinguished among so many good practices reinforces our conviction that we are on the right path: education for citizenship, health literacy, and the construction of more aware and supportive communities,” the researcher adds.
Also, for Maria Guarino, coordinator of ciTechCare, “this recognition reflects not only the scientific and social merit of the project, but also the team’s ability to create real impact in the community by promoting innovation and good practices in active ageing”.
The 12th Congress on Active and Healthy Ageing of the Central Region is promoted by the Central Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDRC), in collaboration with the Ageing@Coimbra and AgeINfuture consortia.
