Psychomotor intervention on water for people with dementia

Abstract

The Aquamentia® program is a psychomotor intervention program in the aquatic environment aimed at elderly people with dementia, based on research on the effects of this condition on the different abilities of the individuals at a physical, emotional, cognitive, and social level. This program is based on a combination of Halliwick, Ai Chi and Watsu methodologies and can be done individually or in pairs, with guidance given by one or more therapists. It is a water movement program, with an approximate duration of 45 minutes per session, once a week, to maintain and stimulate the quality of life of people with dementia. The objectives are tailored for each person, but they are always aligned with the program's overall goals. Aquamentia® is based on the hypothesis that physical movement is linked to the experience of movement, and its activities are always based on the principle of feeling (physical experience), acting (movement in water) and thinking (the meaning that the person attributes to the activity). In the sessions, a central aspect of the goals is constantly worked on, and the therapist plays a supportive, attentive, and structuring role. In this presentation we will present the structure and methodology of the pilot study developed, as well as its preliminary results. Also, we will reach to the first conclusions and explain the following steps of this research.