Painting as therapy for cognitive stimulation.

-the exhibition will tour 17 Sanitas Residencial centres in six different autonomous communities

Vigo, December of 2011- stimulating cognitive, sensory, or generating ideas are therapies used to delay the process of the disease in people who suffer from some dementia. The paint can be a mode of expression that allows these people to communicate feelings even in very advanced stages.

For this reason, Sanitas Residencial makes an annual calendar with drawings and paintings made by residents with dementia from 2010. Sanitas Residencial in all Spain centers will host a travelling exhibition with the selected works. The show brings together a total of 13 drawings that were able to visit Sanitas Residencial Vigo from 6 to 11 December.

“Playing in the winter” – 87 years – Sanitas Residencial Zaragoza

13 tables that are exposed have been selected from a large sample of more than 420 work carried out by people with dementia which was submitted to the competition of painting held earlier this year. Images were used in the calendar of 2011 Sanitas Residencial developed in collaboration with the National Association of Alzheimer’s disease (AFALcontigo) and Fundació Catalunya Alzheimer. A total of 12 works were chosen to illustrate each of the months of the year and another that served as the cover.

The exhibition will tour to 17 Sanitas Residencial network centres in six different autonomous communities: community of Madrid, country Vasco, Galicia, Cantabria, Catalonia and Navarre. After the conclusion of the term in Sanitas Residencial Vigo, the exhibition will move to centres of Cantabria – Sanitas Residencial Santander – and the community of Madrid – Sanitas Residencial Las Rozas and Sanitas Residencial Getafe.

This travelling exhibition is an opportunity to demonstrate to people unfamiliar with the disease that a person with dementia has much to contribute and that, throughout the different stages of the disease, can develop activities as enriching as art that is embodied in these tables. For people who suffer from some dementia, any channel of communication is essential in the transmission of emotions and feelings.

“Multicolor” – 82 years – Sanitas Residencial Las Rozas

the paint can be an effective therapy which allows residents work in group, express their feelings and emotions, and at the same time reaching the inner world of the person ”, explains Daniel Valley, responsible for healthcare management of Sanitas Residencial, this kind of sick are gradually losing their skills to interact with their environment and participate in daily life. For this reason, it is important to carry out activities that stimulate their capacities at different levels: cognitive, sensory, generation of ideas. … to delay possible deterioration and the loss of the functions ”.

Dementia program

One of the main objectives of Sanitas Residencial is to offer a personal residents and more individualized care treatment. For three years, Sanitas Residencial offers in each of its centers a care program for people with dementia in order to provide the best care, enable the physical spaces to the needs of residents and develop a comprehensive programme of adapted activities in their day to day. In addition, the program includes a specialized training in dementia of Sanitas Residencial addressed to all employees.

About Group Sanitas

The Sanitas group, specializing in health and health care partner, includes companies: Sanitas insurance, Sanitas hospitals, Sanitas Residencial and Sanitas new business. You sanitas insurance is the leading company with regard to private customers of insurance for medical care and health in Spain, with 1.98 million members. In 2010, its turnover was EUR 1.449,5 million.

You sanitas hospital manages four hospitals and 17 medical centers multiespecialidad.

You sanitas Residencial is one of major attention to Spain largest companies, he has 41 residences throughout the country and has more than 5,000 residential spaces.

You sanitas new business includes dental business through a range of 63 centres dental Milenum in all Spain, and a wide range of complementary health services in their own centres and centres Sanitas Mundosalud.