Nearly everybody knows the famous quote “mens sana in corpore sano” by the poet Iuvenalis, from the times of the Roman Empire. This idea is still well known and modern science is proving that it is more than merely an idea. The mind has an impact on the body, as everybody can observe in a depressive patient. However, no less important, the body has an impact on the mind, as recent research shows.
This relationship and the positive impacts of physical AND mental training in older adults was the topic of the Erasmus+ MemTrain project which came to an end this September. During the MemTrain project, seven partners from six European countries created a set of activities, which includes physical activities (adapted physical activity, Zumba, Nordic Walking and athletics) and brain training activities (brain training using both hemispheres of the brain and memory games).
As a trainer, you can choose one of the physical activities and one of the brain training activities and combine them to meet the needs and requirements of your target group. The model programme created and tested in MemTrain consists of 10 lessons, each combining 40 minutes of physical activity and 20 minutes of brain training. The Training Manual is complemented by a set of additional resources, among others videos which are uploaded in the MemTrain project YouTube channel. More information can be found on the project website at www.memtrain.eu where you can also find the contacts of the MemTrain team.
You are also welcome to visit the project's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/memtrainproject