I ALSO PARTICIPATE

I also participate is a project of the entity. Its main goal is that people of 62 years and older and with intellectual disabilities can age in an active and dignified way, which allows them to lead a full life, and thus delaying their admission to a residence as much as possible.

The general goals of the project are:

• Offer quality care to people with mental disabilities during their aging process, seeking a dignified life.
• Ensure, through a suitable environment, that persons with mental disability maintain their spirit and personal motivation, allowing them not to lose their own identity.
• Work so that these persons maintain their cognitive and physical abilities as long as possible.
• Delay their admission to a nursing home, thus avoiding the high costs that this entails for society and offering an active life for as long as possible.
• Participation in other initiatives and vindictive movements in a standard way.

And the more specific objectivesof the project are the following:

• Offer persons with a mental disability during the aging process the possibility of continuing their life in a normalized environment that facilitates interaction and creation of links with other younger companions.
• Counsel, inform and guide families of elderly people with mental disabilities.
• Ensure the participation of persons with mental disability during their aging process in cognitive and educational activities, adapted specifically to their physical and psychological conditions.
• Work so that these persons remain interacting in society by organizing cultural and leisure activities that allow their participation and integration. A good example is their participation in theatre performances we offer regularly.
• Assist to maintain their personal autonomy in the activities of domestic life both in the centre and in the sheltered home residence during their old age.

It is proven that aging of persons with intellectual disability is premature. A rapid and adequate intervention, in this sense, together with a favourable environment maintains their cognitive and physical skills for a longer period of time. Obtaining an active aging allows them to lead a full life, and thus delaying their admission to a nursing home as much as possible.

We must be aware of the fact that the more active their aging process is, the less will be their dependence and greater contribution to society, so they can continue to make their capabilities available to others.

It is not just about having an activity to spend the day, but, and more especial, to pose challenges that allow them to use their skills and offer them the training and intervention programs they need to do it successfully.