EURAG MEMORY TRAINING CENTER

Sponsored by the Czech Society for Memory Training and Brain Jogging Founded on 19.3.1998 ICO 67983324, charitable trust

Accredited educational institution of Ministry of Social Affairs No 2008/372-1

Chairman: Ing. Danuse Steinova

Committee members: PhDr. Jana Koblihova –vice-chairman, Associate professor PhDr. Marek Preiss Ph.D. – science and research, PhDr.Diana Chrastkova – education; Zdenka Adlerova- co-operation with libraries

Mission:

To promote memory training as an effective tool against mental deterioriation in an aging society into public knowledge, organize memory training classes for the public and train memory trainers for the elderly in such classes especially for institutional care. CSMTBJ has been closely cooperating with German, Belgian, Austrian and American experts in forming these programs.

Since April 1994, four years before the official start, the systematic training of memory trainers was launched and there are now over 1.640 trainers presently in the Czech Republic. One ground level course and two specialized seminars are organized every year.The three –level educational program for memory trainers /168 hours in total/ was launched in 2009 with the following output: certified memory trainer I- for the ground level course leavers; certified memory trainer II- for the advanced course leavers; certified memory trainner III- for those who defend succesfully their theses which are based on individual experience in concrete conditions, description of monitored array, methodology, results, discussion and examples of own work including personal evaluation of their own contribution to the subject. This educational program has been accredited by the Ministry of Social Affairs No.2009/716-PC/SP

National Day/Week of Memory Training

Has been organized by the CSMTBJ for the first time on March 14th 2005 as a part of the BAW / Brain Awareness Week, www.dana.org /, a worldwide action. The members offered 13 free promotional lectures on memory training focused on the senior population throughout the Czech Republic with 650 participants. CSMTBJ was listed among ten highlight events of BAW 2005.

• On March 13th 2006 the second National Day on Memory Training – 27 free promotional lectures throughout the Czech and Slovak Republic with 1.375 participants.
• On March 12th 2007 the third National Day of Memory Training took place – its 29 events attracted 1.567 participants throughout the Czech and Slovak Republic.
• The intention of this nationwide event is to introduce memory training as an effective tool against mental decline to the ageing population , increasing the self-confidence of the elderly and empowering them for independent living.
• 2008 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 10-16, in order to expend the positive impact of enlightment on wider spectrum of population, the main stream is focused on seniors. The members offered 86 free lectures throughout the Czech Republic and 15 in the Slovak Republic, the total number of participants of the NWMT events was 3.247.
• 2009 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 16- 23, 2009 with 115 lectures given in 58 communities throughout the Czech and Slovak Republic with total number of 3.974 participants.
• 2010 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 15-21, 162 lectures attended by 4.922 participants
• 2011 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 14-20, 179 lectures attended by 5.356 participants
• 2012 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 12-18, 191 lectures attended by 4. 678 participant
• 2013 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 11-17, 235 lectures attended by 5.932 participants
• 2014 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 10- 16,281 lectures attended by 6.422 participants
• 2015 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 16- 22, 252 lectures Attended by 5.789 participants
• 2016 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 14-20, 309 lectures attended by 7.781 participants
• 2017 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 13-19, 353 lectures attended by 8.917 participants
• 2018 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 12- 18, 388 lectures attended by 7.444 participants
• 2019 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 11-17, 408 lectures attended by 8.636 participants
• 2020 National Week of Memory training has not taken place because of pandemic
• 2021 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 15-21, only partialy because of pandemic ,32 lectures attended by 820 participants
• 2022 National Week of Memory Training took place from March 14- 20, 248 lectures attended by 4.451 participants

Research

Since 1.7. 2006 till 31.12.2010 the CSMTBJ has been co-operating with the Prague Psychiatric Center on the reasearch project „Training of Cognitive functions with senior population-effectiveness and implementation (Grant 2D06013 of Ministry of Education, Youth and Physical training).Marek Preiss, Ph.D., Associate professor, the committee member for science and research,was in charge of this research project, Ing.Dana Steinova was a member of his team.

In 2002 the EURAG (European Federation of Older Persons) Memory Training Center has been established in Prague, sponsored by the Czech Society for Memory Training and Brain Jogging and German Bundesverband GedachtnistrainingE.V. with intention to share the knowledge and experience of European experts with countries, where memory training for the elderly has not yet been introduced. The Center offers also intensive memory training classes for individuals in English and courses for certified memory trainers in Prague and in countries which express interest.

Promotion of memory training via the international events:

EURAG symposim on memory training-organized in co-operation with the German BundesVerbandGedachtnistraining E.V.- Prague,March 2000; EURAG colloquy on memory training- Prague, October 2003;

EURAG congress Turin, Italy May 2002; ARP conference, Aveimore, U.K. September 2002; Age concern seminar, London January 2003; ASA and NCA conference, Chicago, USA, March 2003; ARP conference Southport, October 2003; ASA and NCA conference San Francisco, April 2004; lecturing tour organized by Meharry Medical College, TN, USA August 2004; seminar organized by Ministry of Community Development, Singapore, August 2004; World Congress of Gerontology, Rio de Janeiro, June 2005; International symposium „Healthy Ageing in Europe“, Vienna,Austria, March 2006; conferences on memory training for seniors, Kosice, Slovakia, October 2006, January 2007; ASA and NCA conference Washington D.C.,March 2008; EURAG and Slovak Medical University conference- Bratislava ,September 2008; EURAG congress Leon,Spain, November 2008; NGO workshop on the European Pact of Mental Health and Well-Being, Brussels, Belgium,January 2009;

EURAG Seminar on the Brain, Prague, March 2009; „Activition and non-farmacological treatment of seniors with AD“, Bratislava, Slovakia, September 2009; conference on Memory training for the elderly, Dolny Kubin,Slovakia, September 2010; EURAG & E-seniors Conference on Ageing is fun, Paris,October 2015;Neuropsychological conference Lubin, Poland-May 2016; International conference Non-pharmacological approaches in treatment of AD, Bratislava-September 2016;Age Without Boarders , the global internet webinar-top No 1 evaluation-May 2017; World congress of Czechoslovak Society of Art and Science,Prague-July 2018;

Intensive classes for public in English:

Prague, June 2002; N.H., USA August 2002; Prague May 2003; London July 2003; Southminster U.K. July 2003; Washington USA August 2003; Prague October 2003; Prague May 2004; N.H. USA July 2004; Cyprus- April 2005; Slovakia-June 2005; Wales,UK-August 2005; Slovenia,Ljubljana –introductory seminar for Papilot- September 2005; Cyprus- April 2006; Cyprus – May 2006; Prague- June 2006; Prague –September 2006;

Reykjavik, Iceland- April 2007;Boston USA-introductory lecture- June 2007; Prague-May 2007; South Africa, Cape Town, George – July 2007; Hobart,Tasmania-introductory lecture-September 2007; Inverness,U.K. introductory seminar for professionals-November 2007; Prague –May 2008; Johannesburg ,South Africa – June 2008; Knysna , South Africa introductory lecture – July 2008; Tel Aviv, Israel- introductory seminar for public-October 2010; Prague-May 2011; Prague-May 2012; Tirana, Albania-seminar for social workers-September 2012; Lodz,Poland- introductory seminar for public –March 2013; Riga, Latvia-introductory seminar for public- October 2013; Boston, USA-introductory workshop –LPN conference-June 2015; Nashville, TN-introductory workshop-Meharry Medical College-July 2015;Brewood, U.K.- workshop for public-August 2016; St.Vincent de Paul Residence, Malta- workshop for professionals-September 2016; Paris, France- workshop for public-October 2016; Paris;Copenhagen, Denmark-Danish seniors, workshop -February 2017;Reykjavík, Iceland-U3A,workshop-September 2018; Reykjavík, Iceland-Nursing Home Mörk-workshop for professionals-September 2018; France -workshop for public-October 2018, Brewood, U.K. workshop for public-December 2018;Laconia,N.H.-Taylors retirement community-August 2019; Astoria Bohemian Hall, New York,USA- for expatriots-August 2019; Washington D.C.,USA-for public-August 2019; Reykjavík ,Iceland -for U3A-September 2019; Nursing home Grund-Reykjavík, Iceland- September 2019;Paris,France – for e-seniors-October 2019; Copenhagen,Denmark- for Global seniors-October 2019; on line memory training seminars and classes during pandemic 2020-2021: Pan European memory training for seniors from 18 European countries, for U3A in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, for gerontologists from India;

Courses for certified memory trainers in English:

Prague – February 2002 ; Prague – February 2003 ; Prague – February 2004 ; Tallinn, Estonia – March 2004; Limassol, Cyprus – November 2004; Prague – February 2005 ; Singapore – November 2005; Prague – February 2006; Singapore- September 2006; Singapore – August 2007; Prague – February 2008; Poprad, Slovakia- April 2008; Reykjavík, Iceland- September 2008; Prague – November 2008- advanced level; Prague- May 2010; Singapore-July 2010; Prague-May 2012; Prague-May 2013, Kathmandu, Nepal-July 2013, Tirana, Albania-September 2013; Prague-May 2014;Voronezh, Russia- July 2014; Tallinn, Estonia- September 2014;Boston, MA, USA- July 2015; Cookeville, TN,USA- July 2015; Tiruchirappalli, India- September 2016; Reduit, Mauritius-June 2017; Malta-UN Institute of Ageing- September 2018; Moscow, Russia- September 2019; Budapest, Hungary- September 2021, Budapest, Hungary-June 2023; Singapore-November 2023;

Dana Steinova

Head of EURAG Memory Training Center

Head of Czech Society for Memory training and Brain Jogging

EURAG Secretary General, Head of Prague Senior Council;