At the National Congress of Psychiatry in Romania, held in May in Sibiu, the Romanian team led by Lecturer PhD Arch. Mihaela Zamfir, Communication Manager INDEED Project wins the prize for the best poster of 21 papers presented. You can read the poster abstract below:

INNOVATION IN DEMENTIA IN THE DANUBE REGION. ONE YEAR OF COMMUNICATION WITHIN INDEED PROJECT_DANUBE INTERREG

Zamfir (Grigorescu) Mihaela (1), Zamfir Mihai V (2), Sfetcu Raluca (3), Moglan Maria (4), Tudose Cătălina (5),

Pfäffel Lea (6), Kurz Alexander (7)

(1) Lecturer PhD Arch., Department „Synthesis of Architectural Design”, Faculty of Architecture, „Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, Romania; Communication Manager INDEED Project,Member Romanian Alzheimer Society;

(2) Assist. Prof. PhD Md. Geriatrics-Gerontology, Psychiatry, Physiology II-Neuroscience Division, Faculty of Medicine, „Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy; Medicover, Bucharest, Romania;Member Romanian Alzheimer Society;

(3) Assoc. Prof. PhD. Psych., Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, "Spiru Haret" University, Bucharest, Romania; Member Romanian Alzheimer Society;

(4) Psych. PhD, Vice-President of Romanian Alzheimer Society, Bucharest, Romania;

(5) Prof. PhD. Md., President Romanian Association of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and President of Romanian Alzheimer Society, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania;

(6) Project Manager- INDEED; Technical University of Munich, TUM MED, Germany;

(7) Prof. PhD. Md. Psychiatry, Project Coordinator- INDEED; University Hospital, Technical University of Munich, TUM MED, Germany.

Correspondent author: Zamfir (Grigorescu) Mihaela,

 e-mail: mmg_architecturestudio@yahoo.com

OBJECTIVE: The aging of the population and consequently the increase in the number of people with dementia is also a challenge for the countries of the Danubian region. The quality of dementia is behind the European standards regarding the knowledge, skills and cooperation of professionals involved in caring older people with dementia, the availability of specific services and the use of assistive technologies. Another challenge is the emigration of health professionals. The INDEED project aims to improve the dementia care system in the Danube Region and to contribute to the implementation of national dementia strategies to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and family carers. This paper will highlight the role of the Romanian Alzheimer Society (SRA) within the project, namely WP2 work package, Communication Activities in the first year of the project.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The consortium comprises 10 project partners and 10 associated strategic partners from 6 upstream countries (AT, CZ, DE, SI, SK) and 4 downstream countries (BA, BG, HU, RO). INDEED Project is organized on 8 work packages (WP0-WP7) and aims to develop three educational modules: CAMPUS- institutions involved in dementia care, this module provides shared learning and facilitates changes; CONNECT- with embedded principles of dementia case management including horizontal / vertical integration of services; COACH- a business consultancy service for social entrepreneurs, service providers and start-ups. The three modules will be elaborated in traditional (presentations, seminars, printed documents) and internet-based formats (e-learning programmes, webinars) and evaluated in pilot actions at selected sites. In collaboration with decision makers from ministries and public ad-ministrations the modules will be adjusted to practical and local needs. In the present research, we will present the results delivered in the first year communication package (WP2): Communication Plan, Media Kit, IT Fact Sheet, Newsletter No.1 (Period 1) and Flyer, Brochure and Policy Brief (period 2).

EXPECTED RESULTS: Communication activities have shown their results in the region where the project is being developed. The objectives of the project were reached and even exceeded: 24 articles on the project website, INDEED Facebook Page-278 LIKEs, Instagram- 23 posts, 56 followers, 126 pages tracked, many dedicated in partners’ countries. An article was published within the project in Alzheimer Europe "Dementia in Europe", Issue 29/February, 2019. All deliverables proposed for this period have been completed. Communication activities raise awareness among target groups of the importance of improving dementia care in the Danube Region and contribute to the implementation of national dementia strategies.

CONCLUSIONS: INDEED Project proves to be an important and absolutely necessary contribution to the Danubian region for the quality of life of patients with dementia.

Keywords: INDEED Project, dementia-friendly, quality of life, Danube region, interdisciplinarity

Aknowledgement: Project INDEED is a Danube Transnational Programme, Programme co-funded by the European Union funds (ERDF, IPA, ENI)