Text

Long-term caregivers of older adults frequently experience chronic stress, emotional strain, and physical overload resulting from the continuous demands of caregiving. The DanceCARE Erasmus+ project, a KA220 Adult Education initiative funded by the European Union and led by INRCA (Instituto Nazionale di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico), addresses these challenges by developing an innovative body-mind training program designed to help caregivers reduce burden and build resilience. The project is carried out in partnership with EADMT and several collaborating institutions across Europe.

This pre-conference workshop offers participants the opportunity to experience core elements of the DanceCARE body-mind training, which integrates Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) and Conscious Movement approaches. Through guided movement, embodied exploration, and reflective dialogue, participants will engage with practices aimed at supporting emotional regulation, body awareness, and relational presence—key competencies for sustaining well-being in caregiving and clinical contexts.

In addition, the workshop will provide a space for collective reflection on the preliminary implementation phase of the training in Greece, Spain, and Italy, sharing early experiential insights from caregivers, DMT experts, and facilitators. The session aims to inspire interdisciplinary exchange while demonstrating how artistic and embodied practices can meaningfully contribute to mental health support in elder-care settings.