A story of good food and good hearts in Cyprus

Μια ιστορία για καλό φαγητό και καλές καρδιές στην Κύπρο

Olga was the name I pulled at the cocktail party before our first dinner at the Giving Tuesday Global summit, which took place in Lisbon in May. The game was simple – you draw a name and look for the person whose name you drew to meet. Still, we were a great gang of about a hundred people from all over the world and as you can imagine not everyone knows each other. And it was a fun way to break the ice. I found Olga quickly and with her I took the first of many photos to seal this great experience.

Months after the summit in Lisbon, we continue to have online meetings with various Giving Tuesday leaders with whom we exchange experiences and ideas, and this sense of global family is rare and extremely satisfying for me.

Of course, we follow each other on social media, and that’s how I came across Olga’s Facebook page, (follow her) which surprised me with the fact that she is a nutritionist. She works in the organization that is the leader for Cyprus for the Giving Tuesday movement – nursing home ΑΜΕΝ.

1.You work at the nursing home ΑΜΕΝ -the leader of Giving Tuesday in Cyprus. Will you tell me about your last campaign?

2022 was a year full of challenges and opportunities, as AMEN team has organized for the first time in both Cyprus and Greece,the Geri Olympics Event inco-operation with the Institute for Geri Olympics and Active Living located in West Virginia (United States of America) and the AUTH Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Lab (Greece).

During the Move Week (23-29/05/2023) vulnerable people and especially older adults living in different Nursing Homes from Greece and Cyprus,exploited the chance to actively participate in different physical activities like bowling, table tennis, darts, puzzles, sit to stand test, end zone, basket, wheelchair racing, as well as the physical training software part of the Long Lasting Memories Care (LLM Care).

LLM Care Is an ICT platform which combines state-of-the-art mental exercises against cognitive deterioration with physical activity in the structure of an advanced ambient assisted living environment improves the quality of life through prolonging the time of autonomous and independent living of people belonging to vulnerable groups. LLM Care has been exploited by AMEN residents since 2018, proving it’s extremely important results in both psychological state and physical conditions of the participants.The event was dedicated to people we care, including the older adults, their families,volunteers and healthcare professionals with the ultimate goal of sharing the humanity and generosity.

Participation in numbers:

17 Nursing Homes

350 older adults and vulnerable population

150 volunteers (students from different Universities, health care professionals, elderly’s families etc.)

2.What is the best thing about your work there?

As a clinical dietician I can educate, guide and support people to improve their lives through personalized diet plans. Through the personalization I Take into consideration people eating habits and the presence of comorbidities. Also I help them make certain dietary choices that can prevent some health diseases or delay their progress. This is the best thing about my work here.

3.Is food your passion? And what kind of advice would you give to people about eating proper,fresh and healthier food?

It is widely accepted, that eating a healthy diet is essential for maintaining good health and well-being. A balanced and nutritious diet can help people, especially older adults prevent many health problems and support overall physical and mental wellness. I love my job as clinical dietician since I’m helping older adults with diverse nutritional needs to manage and improve their health through proper nutrition-related dietary recommendations tailored to their specific needs. Healthy eating: help live longer and healthier, support the muscles, strengthen bones, boost the immunity system, lower the risk of different chronic diseases and affect mood.

I Would like to give two best pieces of advice to people with regards to eating proper,fresh and healthier food are:

1.Listen to your body and your needs. Take into consideration your body signals (digestive symptoms,signs and symptoms of lack of vitamins etc.).

2.Follow a balanced diet by choosing a variety of foods. Try to reach your healthy body.

4.Do you think that taking care of our bodies and our communities in the context of Giving Tuesday is somehow connected?

Yes, I believe that taking care of our bodies and our communities is indeed connected in the context of initiatives like Giving Tuesday and in broader societal well-being.Initiatives like Giving Tuesday provide an opportunity to encourage both self-care and actions of generosity and community support. Caring for our bodies through healthy habits, as well as caring for our communities through actions of giving and support, can create positive feedback that benefits individuals and the collective. Giving Tuesday serves as a reminder and great opportunity for people and communities to come together to address both personal and societal needs, fostering a healthier and more supportive environment for all.

5.Why do you think it’s important to share the good things we do?

“Sharing is caring”

Sharing, whether it’s time, resources, knowledge,is an expression of care and compassion for others. It signifies a willingness to contribute to the well-being and happiness of those around you and the broader community. Healthy bodies leads to a healthier community.

6.Do you think that generosity is the key to a better environment and in that line of thought -good food is the key to a better environment for us as individuals?

For sure! Generosity can certainly contribute to a better environment, both in terms of the broader world and in our lives. Generosity often leads to positive actions and behaviors that can help address environmental challenges.

“Good food, good mood”

If we are in a good mood,it would be easier for us to create a better environment for ourselves and for the community.

7.Can you share anything about this year’s Giving Tuesday campaign in your country?

We manage more organizations (universities, schools, nursing homes, government organizations etc.) and stakeholders to get involve and actively participate to Cyprus Giving Tuesday campaign with the ultimate goal to spread the spirit of generosity, giving and offering to all Cypriot citizens.

In 2022, AMEN offered 29 ‘generosity boxes’ to 29 different influential people in Cyprus and Greece. In this photo you can see the manager of AMEN Nursing Home Mrs Ersi Papayianni offering the generosity box to Dr. Panagiotis Bamidis from the Lab of Medical and Digital Innovation, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.