The Memory Guide project of The Alzheimer Society of Finland provides information about brain health and memory disorders to German-speaking individuals in Finland, along with offering support for those with memory disorders and their families. This is accomplished by training volunteers who then share information and act as support persons in their own language and in a culturally appropriate manner. It is important for individuals with memory disorders to receive information and support in a language they understand. It has also been observed how significant it can be for a volunteer, from the perspective of participation and personal identity, to use their mother tongue in the activities.
The significance of the German language in volunteer recruitment has been instrumental in finding interested volunteers. The deliberate choice to conduct training in German has also proven to be a good decision. 95% of those who participated in volunteer training believed that language was important in the training. Conversations with others in the emotional language were considered enriching, and finding a suitable role for oneself was meaningful. In this presentation, we want to highlight how the use of one’s mother tongue as a volunteer can increase well-being and participation. We will share important observations in volunteer activities and discuss how the actions of volunteers have influenced the German-speaking community’s attitude towards dementia.
