Active ageing and Heritage in Adult learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

Active ageing and Heritage in Adult learning

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships addressing more than one field

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; Health and wellbeing; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

The Active ageing and Heritage in Adult learning (AHA) project addressed older adults’ learning and development needs. Through the work with reminiscence the project aimed at improving the quality of life and well being for people with memory problems, usually with dementia. The project created a methodology with guidelines for how this kind of work can be carried out in a heritage setting. It also carefully evaluated the outcomes of such activities. In addition to this the AHA project also gave attention to the needs of relatives and created a short course that taught them methods of working with reminiscence at home. A similar course was also created for staff at care homes. This made it possible for more people to participate in these kinds of activities. The use of heritage in this was found to be particularly beneficial, since you can build on the individual’s personal memories, skills and experiences.

The partners in this project were five open air museums in Europe and three Universities. The museums all had previous experience of working with reminiscence for people with dementia, but through this project the quality could be significantly improved and new and innovative ways of working were found through the cooperation. While some of the museums (Den Gamle By, Denmark, Beamish, UK, Jamtli, Sweden) have worked for several years on this and felt the need of renewal and new input, other museums (Maihaugen, Norway and Szentendre Skanzen, Hungary) have recently started their activities and needed the experience of the others, while they themselves contributed to the project with new and exciting ideas. The partner Universities (Newcastle University, Aarhus University and Linnaeus University) all work on the connection between heritage and health. Their role in the project was to facilitate a proper evaluation – since no larger scale evaluation of these kinds of activities has previously been made.

The results of the project show that reminiscence session in open air museum settings are beneficial for people with dementia. The evaluation show that during the sessions the participants experience improved wellbeing. The project also made the museums adjust their ways of working to achieve greater impact and reflection on the work and learning by the staff. The courses created by the project were successful, even though cultural differences and systems made the impact of course for relatives different in different countries. The course for professional carers, however, was highly popular and there is a demand for a continuation of this offer.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 290828 Eur

Project Coordinator

Stiftelsen Jamtli & Country: SE

Project Partners

• Den Gamle By, Danmarks Købstadmuseum
• Szabadtéri Néprajzi Múzeum
• LINNEUNIVERSITETET
• Beamish Museum Ltd
• Stiftelsen Lillehammer museum
• UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE