Students tell stories of salutogenesis and dementia

Two university students have snagged $2000 each for their exploration of salutogenesis and what it means for people with dementia.

Dementia Training Australia (DTA) asked undergraduate students to tell a story in a medium of their choice exploring how their discipline can support people with dementia to live a life that is manageable, understandable and meaningful.

Tara Kannan took the top prize in the second-year category for her article ‘Mind Over Matter’.

Matthew Boom, who is studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Canberra, took the top prize in the third-year category for his poster ‘Maintaining Adventure With Dementia’, which explored the ways in which physiotherapy can promote salutogenesis.

Salutogenesis stems from the Latin word for health, salus, and a Greek word meaning source, genesis. DTA said salutogenesis, or sources of health, focuses on factors that support health and wellbeing, shifting away from a more traditional, pathogenic focus on risk and problems.