Stories in the Moment debuts in Poland!

Members of the Dom Pomocy Społecznej (DPS) in Sopot, Poland participating in Stories in the Moment dance and storytelling program July 2023.

July 2023, Stories in the Moment had its debut in Poland with Sopot residents and members of the Dom Pomocy Społecznej (DPS – Adult Day Services Center). Participants joined DanceStream Projects director Magda Kaczmarska and Foundation Dementia Action Alliance Polska president Marlena Meyer to engage in this dance and storytelling program. Day visitors to the center joined for two sessions, and residents of the DPS center joined for another two sessions.

The program was also attended by DPS staff and several guests including neurologist and current Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health Urszula Skrobas. The depth of engagement we all experienced after such a short time of connection was staggering and inspired conversation on how to extend creative aging programs that integrate people living with dementia with community elders to support their brain health and extend a sense of agency, civic participation and creative expression.

This project was sponsored by the European Funds for Social Development supported by the Polish Government and the European Union as part of a Pilot Deinstitutionalization in Social Care