SK Rapid fans can experience the development of the club and the sport at the Rapideum, the football club's museum in Vienna. Dementia-friendly tours have recently been added, developed in collaboration with Caritas.
These tours, which are to be established as a permanent offering, are designed with special attention to the specific needs of participants. The approximately one-hour museum tour will primarily recall the past at the Pfarrwiese and the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium. A bag containing items such as jerseys and shoes – both from the past and the present – will be used to support the tour. This allows the development of football to be illustrated using objects.
In collaboration with Caritas, a tailor-made concept for these tours and raising awareness of dementia was developed in advance during a workshop for the entire museum team. The focus is on a few specific topics and considerate of the clients and their situation.
Currently, approximately 150,000 people in Austria are affected by dementia. This number is increasing and is expected to nearly double by 2050. Caritas has launched numerous initiatives in recent years to support those affected by dementia and their families. These include psychosocial counseling and discussion groups for family members, the Family Academy with lectures and practical courses, and the volunteer project "Freizeitbuddys." Volunteers spend time with people with dementia. Activities include planning walks, playing table tennis, and organizing concerts and museum visits. From now on, visits to the Rapideum are part of the program.