The Foundation’s Alzheimer’s Day Centre, named “The Cornucopia” (listed in the City of Rome’s Day Centres register since 2007), admits patients with mild to moderate primary dementia diagnosed by a Centre for Cognitive Disorders and Dementia, who have no behavioural disorders and are resident in Rome.
As well as the usual cognitive stimulation activities recognised in scientific literature - Reality Orientation Therapy (ROT), Memory Training, Occupational Therapy and Motor Rehabilitation - the Centre experiments new stimulation techniques, such as music therapy, art therapy, horticultural therapy and drama therapy as well as community integration activities including visits to museums and reading groups.
Members of the patient’s family may join emotional support groups and attend training courses that provide the knowledge and skills needed to manage the disease.
The Day Centre also offers transportation for residents in the neighbouring XI and XII districts.
The centre is open from Mondays to Saturdays from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Patients are divided in homogenous groups of 10 and attend the centre every other day.
All our services are free of charge.
The environment and dedicated areas
The Cornucopia Day Centre is composed of a central lounge for group activities, a leisure area, two rooms for motor and cognitive rehabilitation, a large sunny terrace garden (used also for horticultural therapy) and a Snoezelen (multisensory stimulation) room.
The rooms are designed to promote the wellbeing and safety of Alzheimer’s patients, from a prosthetic point of view. The Centre is adequately lit, safe and easy to navigate. The colours are warm and bright, though not glaring, and help to control behavioural disorders and offset disabilities. The furniture has rounded edges and the furnishings include objects that evoke everyday life in order to help patients’ to regain their sense of direction and time.