Today, forty people from the Residencia San Martín (Oñati, Gipuzkoa) and the Matia Fundazioa Argixao (Zumarraga, Gipuzkoa) and the persons accompanying them visited Zubieta. All of them enjoyed a different morning thanks to Real Sociedad Fundazioa. Moreover, they were in good company as our former txuri urdin players Bixio Gorriz and Mitxel Loinaz were also there.
Both institutions care of people with neurological disabilities, mental illness and intelectual disabilities. They also assist elderly people. The above mentioned institutions visited their favorite team's training camp to catch an early look at the players and take a picture with them at the end of the session. One of the most touching moments occurred when the elderly people met the players.
This visit is part of the Reminiscence project based on football for elderly people with cognitive impairments promoted jointly by the FEAV Federación Española de Asociaciones de Futbolistas Veteranos (Spanish Federation of Senior Footballers Associations), AFE Asociación de Futbolistas Españoles (Spanish Footballers’ Association) and the Aita Menni centre. Real Sociedad Fundazioa and our Veterans Association also cooperate with this project.
Football as a therapy is a way of working with people with cognitive impairments and is effective in improving their quality of life and that of the people who take care of them.
