The overarching aim of our project was to promote social inclusion of Deaf people by creating equal access opportunities to information, education, and healthcare services. The main objectives of the project were, on the one hand, to develop a new, comprehensive, technology-enhanced method for dementia screening for older Deaf adults in two sign languages (SL): GSL & ÖGS; and on the other hand, to create a non-formal educational program for both the Deaf community and experts. Through this educational program, our team aimed at: 1) Promoting and highlighting dementia awareness within the Deaf community and of the importance of early screening in Deaf older adults 2) familiarising experts with the screening test and its functionalities 3) Raising awareness among experts about Deaf culture and the different needs of Deaf people for an accurate diagnosis of dementia 4) Disseminating the screening test to the Deaf community 5) Providing a pilot non-formal training course on the test and its functionalities to native, fluent GSL signers who are not experts, in order to equip the Greek Deaf community with the skills and knowledge to promote their well-being.
Timely diagnosis of dementia is a priority in many countries, as it enables access to a range of services that support a better quality of life, such as access to appropriate medication, time to plan future care preferences, and opportunities to express needs, wishes, and goals. Recognizing early signs of dementia by family, friends, and communities plays a crucial role in this regard. However, there are hardly any dementia awareness programs in sign language worldwide. This contributes to low awareness of the early signs of dementia and underdiagnosis in Deaf communities around the world. The aim of this project was to promote equal access of Deaf people to dementia information and diagnosis by raising awareness about dementia within Deaf communities in Europe and by developing a digital platform for dementia screening in Greek and Austrian Sign Languages (GSL & ÖGS). Using a participatory approach, our team—composed of both Deaf and hearing members who collaborated closely throughout all phases of the project—developed and delivered seminars tailored to the cultural and linguistic needs of the Deaf community. Additionally, we created a digital platform for dementia screening in ÖGS and GSL.