Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Marco de Canaveses wins REN's AGIR Award with project to support informal caregivers

Project SMAC – Serviço Móvel de Apoio ao Cuidador (Mobile Caregiver Support Service), promoted by the catholic charity institution Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Marco de Canaveses (SCMMC), is the winner of the 12th edition of REN's AGIR Award, this year dedicated to supporting informal caregivers. This project will involve 120 informal caregivers, and aims to improve the physical, psychological and social well-being of those who provide care, by taking a comprehensive approach that incorporates both pharmacological and non-pharmacological responses. Project Entre Laços – Cuidar com Saber (meaning Bonding – Caring with Knowledge) from the Congregation of Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Braga, came second, while project Colmeia (i.e., Beehive) from LongeVidade (meaning Longevity), in Porto, won third place.

SMAC will support a wide range of informal caregivers living in the municipality of Marco de Canaveses, and is part of the SCMMC's strategy to integrate healthcare and social action, by offering free services. These include well-being workshops, psychological support, healthcare training and specialist consultations, centred on health literacy, self-care and support networks. In addition to providing a local response, SMAC seeks to contribute to more inclusive public policies by liaising with the government, Marco de Canaveses City Council, the Tâmega and Sousa local health units and the Union of Portuguese Misericórdias.

“Supporting informal caregivers means supporting the entire community, by promoting dignity, inclusion and sustainability. These caregivers often silently support the well-being of entire families. It is crucial that they feel that they are not alone on this journey”, says Maria Amélia Ferreira, from Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Marco de Canaveses. “This support from REN gives us the confidence and resources to build a stronger and more compassionate network that values those who provide care, and creates the conditions for them to continue to do so, with greater balance and quality of life”, she concludes.

Second place was awarded to project Entre Laços – Cuidar com Saber, promoted by the Congregation of Sisters Hospitallers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Braga, which will benefit 40 informal caregivers of people with schizophrenia, by providing strategies to promote their well-being and improve the quality of care provided.

The initiative combines training in caregiving and self-care, and is centred on a structured, psychoeducational intervention, which includes group psychoeducation sessions, joint meetings with care recipients and individual support. It also provides for the creation of a Mutual Aid Group to ensure the continuity of the project. The aim is to prevent physical and emotional caregiver burden, improve care management skills and interpersonal relationships.

The third place was awarded to project Colmeia, by LongeVidade, whose aim is to support 30 informal caregivers in the municipalities of Porto and Gondomar. The initiative combines training, psychological support, support networks and social benefits, which include a Benefits Club, offering discounts at local shops, and a First Aid Kit for Emotions. This project also aims to create a network of volunteers to provide respite for caregivers and reduce their burden.