There are currently 15 distributed in the health districts of Modena, Castelfranco and Pavullo and they will be opened in 2024 11 other gyms – in the municipalities of Modena, Carpi, Mirandola, Sassuolo, Vignola, Savignano sul Panaro, Castelnuovo Rangone and Spilamberto, Bomporto, Polinago, Lama Mocogno, Fiumalbo and Sestola – to satisfy an ever-increasing demand: they are well 400 elderly people who frequent gyms and in some areas there is a waiting list (which we try to respond to by opening new facilities to demonstrate the effectiveness and satisfaction of the project).
A memory gym was born from the territory thanks to the collaboration between the health districts of the USL company, the voluntary associations and the municipalities and parishes. Once the feasibility has been assessed and suitable spaces have been found, the available volunteers attend a meeting training course held by neuropsychologists of the Cognitive Disorders and Dementia Center of the Modena Local Health Authority to learn what exercises and activities you can do to stimulate cognitive functions. A group of over 100 volunteerswhose age is on average 68 years, who enthusiastically make themselves available to support the elderly and the ‘great elderly’ (aged from approximately 75 to 95 years) who frequent the gyms.