Current projects
Music-movement-cognitive activity programmes supporting older adults' emotional, cognitive and psycho-physical health
The project develops holistic music-movement and cognitive programmes for older adults, aimed at supporting physical health, mental abilities, emotional balance and social inclusion. By combining music, movement and adapted cognitive exercises, the project contributes to active ageing and creates professionally grounded, user-adapted forms of support for older adults.
- Beneficiary
- PERFECTUS Institute, private social institute, social enterprise, Dolga Poljana 57, 5271 Vipava, Slovenia
- Project duration
- 1 Dec 2025 to 1 Oct 2026
- Co-funding amount
- EUR 16,060.80
- Public call
- Public call to promote cooperative and social economy projects and to launch social entrepreneurship
Project background
Population ageing represents an increasingly important social, health and welfare challenge. In the Vipava Valley and the wider Northern Primorska region too, there is a growing need for high-quality, accessible and professionally designed programmes that enable older adults to maintain physical health, mental abilities, emotional balance and the ability to live independently for as long as possible. Existing provision is often fragmented and focused on isolated aspects of physical exercise, socialising or rehabilitation, and there is a lack of holistic programmes that connect different approaches into a coherent, user-adapted whole. Ageing can bring reduced muscle strength, poorer mobility, problems with balance and coordination, and a gradual decline in cognitive abilities. Older adults also frequently experience loneliness, a lack of social contact, anxiety and reduced involvement in local community life. These factors can significantly affect a person's wellbeing, their ability to carry out everyday activities, and their overall quality of life. Particular attention is needed for older adults with mobility limitations, chronic conditions or neurodegenerative changes, who need safe, professionally led activities adapted to their abilities. Music, movement and cognitive activities have significant potential to promote healthy and active ageing. Music can have a positive effect on mood, motivation, memory and social connection, while suitably adapted movement helps maintain strength, mobility, balance and independence. Carrying out movement and cognitive tasks at the same time further stimulates attention, coordination, responsiveness and other mental processes. Bringing them together therefore provides a sound basis for developing holistic services that treat the older person not merely from the standpoint of a single health issue, but with regard to their physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing. The project also responds to the need to develop non-institutional forms of support for older adults and to strengthen cooperation between the social enterprise, local communities, care homes, pensioners' associations, healthcare institutions, day activity centres and other organisations. By connecting different areas of knowledge and settings, provision can be shaped that is accessible to a wider range of users and adapted to their health status, living circumstances and actual needs.
Project description
Project description: The project is aimed at developing holistic music-movement and cognitive programmes for older adults, whose core purpose is to support physical activity, the preservation of mental abilities, emotional wellbeing and social inclusion. The programmes will combine music, rhythmic movement, adapted physical exercises, tasks to stimulate attention and memory, and other activities designed with reference to expert findings in kinesiology, gerontology, rehabilitation, neuroscience and mental health. As part of the project, various content formats will be prepared, adapted for healthy and independent older adults as well as for people with mobility, health or cognitive limitations. Activities can be delivered in groups or individually, with their level of difficulty adjusted to the abilities, health status and goals of individual users. Particular attention will be given to safe delivery, gradual progression, an enjoyable user experience, and creating an encouraging environment in which participants feel included, accepted and motivated. Development will proceed from preparing the professional and delivery concept to shaping usable programme content. The approaches developed will be tested together with representatives of the target group, and their experience and feedback will be used to improve the content, working methods and organisation of delivery. Based on the testing findings, final versions of the programmes will be produced, suitable for delivery on the social enterprise's premises, at partner organisations, or in other settings where older adults take part in organised activities. An important part of the project will involve connecting with local and regional stakeholders. Cooperation with care homes, pensioners' associations, health and social care institutions, educational organisations and day activity centres will make it easier to reach users, better understand their needs and establish the conditions for the long-term delivery of services. Stakeholders will be able to take part in informing users, organising delivery, adapting activities and incorporating the programmes into their existing offering. Once the development and trial phase is complete, the programmes will be brought to market and presented to potential users, their families and organisations working with older adults. Communication will take place through online content, social media, direct outreach, media cooperation and personal engagement with stakeholders. In this way, the project will lay the groundwork for the long-term delivery of activities, further development of the programmes, and the growth of the social enterprise as a professional provider of holistic support for healthy and active ageing.