85 Godparents Join 10th Memolímpiades in Andorra for Cognitive Workshops

Around 85 godparents from parishes across Andorra took part in the 10th Memolímpiades in Sant Julià de Lòria on Wednesday, engaging in cognitive workshops at the Centre Cultural Lauredià to boost memory and mental agility.

Participants from local parishes, along with residents of sociosanitàri centres in Sant Vicenç d'Enclar and El Cedre, joined activities structured across four levels. This year's highlight was a new lower level tailored for those with greater cognitive decline, ensuring broader inclusion. Workshops drew inspiration from scientists like Marie Curie and featured games such as assembling puzzles from old photos and Scattergories, where groups brainstormed items like animals starting with "f" or sports beginning with "r". Monitors encouraged fun over competition, with one asking, "Who knows how to play Scattergories?" amid puzzled looks from attendees.

The schedule included a shared lunch to build community, followed by afternoon leisure like musical bingo and an outdoor "Mind and Movement" session. Social councillor Eva Ramos noted the event's dual benefits. "It's a moment of reconnection—people who knew each other in their youth, now living in different parishes, meet here and it excites them," she said. She added that the activities provide clear cognitive gains.

Attendees shared lively banter, from complaints about oversubscribed classes in computing, French or history, to gripes over gadgets like can openers challenging arthritic hands. One participant quipped to another descending stairs, "Your house won't collapse while you're out!"—drawing retorts about constant activity.

Now a decade old, the Memolímpiades reinforces Sant Julià de Lòria's push for active, healthy ageing through such inclusive gatherings.