Last week, the international partners of the YOMI (You are on our mind) project met in Germany. The meeting was organised by I.S.A.R Germany at the training grounds of the BRH Bundesverband Rettungshunde e.V. in Hünxe.
The project focuses on improving the knowledge and skills of search and rescue and emergency personnel in relation to missing persons with Alzheimer's and dementia. In addition to recommendations for authorities, the project will primarily develop digital training content that can be used to acquire these skills. These are to be made publicly accessible via a digital learning platform and an e-portfolio and integrated into future training programmes.
In addition to I.S.A.R Germany, other organisations from Turkey, Spain, Ireland, Hungary and Slovenia are also involved in the project. During the meeting, extensive information on the topic of Alzheimer's was conveyed and collected, which was underpinned on a scientific basis by visits to the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing and the Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD) at the University of Cologne, as well as reinforced by practical impressions. For example, the participants were given an insight into the nursing and care sector at the "pro wohnen international" organisation in Oberhausen. The non-profit organisation supports people with Alzheimer's/dementia and their relatives and is actively involved in the area of social education in connection with the disease.
As Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia affect not only those with the disease, but also carers, emergency response teams, the police and, above all, relatives, further visits to the home countries of the various project partners will also be used to compile the broadest possible spectrum of international best practice in dealing with Alzheimer's, which will be made available on the subsequent training platform.