REN stengthens Cercisiago's home support services

REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais has donated a vehicle to Cercisiago, an education and rehabilitation cooperative that operates in the coastal Alentejo region. This vehicle will strengthen the home support services, as well as transport patients to doctor's appointments and medical exams provided by Cercisiago.

The vehicle donated by REN will allow Cercisiago to be more flexible and efficient in the way it provides assistance to the population, such as washing, feeding, or taking medication to the users of the home support service. It will also make it easier for the cooperative to manage its transport services, taking patients to doctor's appointments, medical exams, and visiting families.

Professor Rui Sousa, chairman of Cercisiago, considers that this type of support is very important because it provides a faster service that is more effective and complete in terms of mobility and comfort for Cercisiago's users, who need to be taken to the doctor daily, either for routine appointments, or psychiatry or other medical specialities, as well as to make additional medical exams that sometimes are not performed within the municipality of Santiago do Cacém.

'We were made aware of the need of the home support service provided by Cercisiago and we hope that the vehicle donated by REN can contribute to the well-being of the citizens living in the area covered by Cercisiago', said Margarida Ferreirinha, REN's Head of Communication and Sustainability.

Cercisiago, founded 40 years ago, plays an essential and innovative role in the rehabilitation and social integration of impaired children, youngsters and adults living in the coastal Alentejo region (in the municipalities of Sines, Santiago do Cacém, and Odemira).

This cooperative currently supports 130 individuals in several ways: education centre; residential home and autonomous home in Sines; professional training and occupational activities centre. Cercisiago also provides support to 60 children that do not live in institutions through its early intervention programme called Intervenção Precoce in the municipality of Sines.