Details for: SIMA–PLUS: Project for the further developement and consolidation of the training programme SIMA

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Country Austria
ProjectnumberAT-43
ProjectnameSIMA–PLUS: Project for the further developement and consolidation of the training programme SIMA
Projectname (nationale language)SIMA–PLUS: Projekt zur Weiterentwicklung und Konsolidierung des Trainingsprogrammes „Selbstständig im Alter“ (SIMA)
Link to projectLink to project
Organisation
  • Katholisches Bildungswerk der Diözese Linz
Link to organisationLink to organisation
Type of organisationpublic
non-profit
Project managerDr. Günther Leitner
Start1999/05/01
End2003/03/31
Relevance of the modelEvidence-based, established model on health promotion for older people
Targetgroups
  • Older men
  • Older women
Setting
  • Local community
Funded by
  • The Federal State of Upper Austria
  • Returns from the project
CityLinz
RegionUpper Austria
Short summarySIMA-PLUS is a project for the enhancement of the QOL of older people considering their physical and mental health. Through adequate training measures competences in everyday life, memory training and psycho motor functions are increased. As a consequence the autonomy of the participants is sustained and the possible need of care when getting older is prevented. Dementia can also be delayed. The project was tested in the 1990ies at the University of Erlangen-Nuernberg and is supposed to be implemented as a pilot project in Upper Austria.
Main objectives
  • Dealing with sickness and information about adequate medical and social support.
  • Dealing with problems in everyday life and preventing visits from the general practitioner through that.
  • Raising autonomy among older people.
Main activities
  • The main activity was to optain and to promote the every-day competences, the memory outputs and the psychomotoric activities of the old aged with training activities.
Evaluationyes
Description of evaluationA study of the Univeristy of Erlangen by Prof. Dr. Wolf Oswald stated that the combination of memory and fitness training, which is characteristic for SIMA-PLUS, is directly able to delay the ageing process. The hitherto experiences with the programme show that a clear reduction in numbers of people in need of care was achieved. A slowing effect or the complete non-appearance of dementia could also be surveyed. If SIMA could delay the need of care for 10.000 people for one year, the health costs of public authorities could be diminished by 43 billion Euros. 
Main results
  • The project is being carried out in several Federal States of Austria now. The interest in the training programme is high, in the year 2002 450 people were trained to be SIMA-trainers in Upper Austria alone. In 2003 it will be possible to reach two thirds of all regions with the training programme.
Contact nameDr. Günther Leitner
Contact emailguenther.leitner@dioezese-linz.at
Contact telephone+43-732-7610 3211
Contact fax+43-732-7610 3219
Promoting mental health
  • cognitive issues (e.g. memory training)
  • emotional support
Social participation and inclusion
  • social support, networks
Lifestyle
  • disease prevention
  • physical activity
Inclusioncriteria
More information on inclusion criteria
3. Multi-faceted, holistic 
4. SustainabilityThe SIMA trainers were trained during the project's lifetime (450) but the competences they have are still of great importance to the target group. The training programme was then, after 2003, widended to other parts of the country.
5. Voice of older people 
6. Model involves visible and invisible target groups 
7. Diversity 
8. Geographical and physical accessibility 
9. Well-grounded theoretical approach The close cooperation of a scientific partner (the University of Erlangen) and the local partners speak for a well-grounded theoretical approach to the project. An evaluation study was also carried out by the same university.
10. Gender sensitivity 
11. Cost effectiveness 
12. Empowerment 
13. Transferability 
14. Consumer satisfactionThe participants were highly interested in being trained as a SIMA-trainer. The study carried out after the project's lifetime states that the QOL of older people in the region had increased as well.
15. Public recognition/award 
16. Innovative strategy 

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Background Information on Database

The aim of the second phase of the healthPROelderly project was to collect models of good practice in the area of health promotion for older people. One of the main activities in this project phase was to elicit criteria by which to choose such models in each of the participating countries. The exclusion criteria and inclusion criteria were elicited by all project partners on the basis of the literature overview of health promotion for older people carried out in the first project phase. Project partners searched for models in their countries by: 1) using the literature databases they had compiled; 2) by using health promotion databases and other information available on internet and 3) by consulting their national boards and other experts.

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