Hands Together Project

💙 We are proud to announce that we have been working on our Learning Pack for seniors with dementia and their carers.

This comprehensive resource has been carefully designed to support both people living with dementia and those who care for them, offering meaningful and engaging experiences for all.

📚What does it include?
✨ A variety of online and offline activities
✨Activities that promote intergenerational learning, bringing together younger and older generations
✨Easy-to-use activities for carers, educators, and families
🤝By combining creativity, inclusion, and connection, this Learning Pack aims to enhance well-being, communication, and social engagement
🌏 Stay tuned for the final product, in efforts to bridge the generational gap while also supporting active and healthy ageing.

📢HANDS TOGETHER Project Update!

We’re excited to share the latest developments from the HANDS TOGETHER Erasmus+ project!

📰 Our 3rd Newsletter is now available, highlighting recent activities, key achievements, and upcoming steps of the project.

🗞 Alongside this, we have also developed a series of press releases to spread the word about our work and impact at both local and European levels.

Through these materials, we continue to raise awareness, share knowledge, and strengthen collaboration across our partnership 🤝

Stay tuned and follow our journey as we move forward!

Project Newsletter 🕶

February 2026 - Press release Project 🗞😊👉

Sharing stories, playing games, creating art.
Simple moments, powerful impact 🌈

📢 Why intergenerational activities matter

When children and teens spend time with older adults showing early signs of dementia, something extraordinary happens:

🧠 Older adults experience increased engagement and cognitive stimulation.
😊 Anxiety and isolation decrease.
🌟 Younger participants develop empathy, emotional intelligence, and social awareness.

These moments remind us that community is built across ages — not within them.

The Erasmus+ project HANDSTOGETHER aims to develop a dedicated training programme for formal and informal caregivers, helping them better understand dementia and improve the quality of care and support.

👉🏻Very soon, will take place in each partner country! These events will promote the training and are designed to engage as many professionals as possible, raise awareness, and share knowledge and good practices.

Stay tuned and join us in building more informed, compassionate, and connected care communities 🤝🧠

A fresh term with new students at our special housing facility, Karlslund. Young people meet older residents, and our students receive both theoretical and practical instruction two days a week. A recurring practical assignment is to bring a little extra joy to the everyday lives of the elderly — they play games, exercise, listen to music, and spend time together. Magical moments are created.

Our nursing assistant students have weekly classes at one of our special housing facilities in Bollnäs municipality. One of the students’ responsibilities is to engage and activate our elderly residents. On Friday, December 12, our students organized a Lucia procession. They held processions on each floor, followed by coffee and refreshments, and then a larger Lucia procession in the foyer. It was greatly appreciated by both the students, the residents, and their relatives.

Every week, we spend time with our nursing assistant students at one of our special housing facilities in Bollnäs Municipality. We combine theoretical instruction with practical activities together with the elderly residents. It is a successful collaboration that benefits both our students and the older adults.

🎄 Seasonal Gatherings with Loved Ones: Tips for Seniors with Dementia 🎄

✨The holidays are a special time for connection, joy, and memories — especially for seniors living with dementia. Here are some gentle tips to make festive gatherings safe, comfortable, and enjoyable for everyone. ✨

🤶Tips for Families & Caregivers🎅
❄️Keep routines familiar: Try to maintain regular meal and rest times to reduce stress.
❄️Create a calm environment: Soft lighting, familiar music, and a quiet space can help prevent confusion or agitation
❄️Simplify the menu: Offer small portions and easy-to-eat dishes — avoid overwhelming the senses
❄️Engage gently: Encourage conversation, singing, or looking at old photos — meaningful interaction matters more than long activities
❄️Take breaks: Seniors may tire quickly; allow for quiet moments or short walks to stay comfortable
❄️Celebrate safely: Keep pathways clear and remove hazards to prevent slips or falls

💙 Dementia Care On Air: Real Conversations That Matter

🎧Understanding dementia starts with listening.
Dementia Care On Air is a podcast series that shares expert insights, practical advice, and real stories to support people living with dementia — and those who care for them.

🫂Whether you are a family member, caregiver, or adult educator, these short and accessible episodes help you:
- better understand dementia
- feel less alone on the journey
- learn practical tips for everyday care
- hear compassionate, evidence-based guidance

🧠 Because dementia care is not just about memory — it’s about dignity, empathy, and connection.

👉 Listen to the Dementia Care On Air podcast
(available on major podcast platforms)
https://www.dementiacareaware.org/education-and-training/podcast/

It is very difficult to accept and to understand brain changes in dementia, especially when it comes to sensory issues, such as:
-olfactory hallucinations (phantom smells),
-visual impairments,
-visual hallucinations,
-changes with hearing,
-sense of taste,
-sense of touch.

In the video below, Agnes explains her own experience with changes connected to dementia:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH_QpmH_lhU

Why is this so important?
Because the awareness, the knowledge and the skills related to dementia can be enhanced. And they need to be enhanced for the good of the entire

HandsTogether Project aims to:
🧐 showcase those changes to the carers of people living with dementia by using VR scenarios.
🕶️VR scenarios (using virtual reality glasses) will present the everyday situations as experienced by people with dementia and how to overcome them.

👍Follow us for more information!

Dementia & Sensory Challenges - My life living with dementia Agnes Houston shares her unexpected sensory challenges living with dementia