3rd edition of training course to strengthen team of informal carers
The 3rd edition of the course for informal caregivers has already started, which will allow to reinforce the current team of caregivers of the "Bolsa de Cuidadores" project, an initiative of the Municipality of Matosinhos (CMM) included in the Matosinhos Municipal Health Plan.
Achieving a better and fairer health, adapted to the different realities, a "Health for All@s", was the starting point for the construction of the Matosinhos Municipal Health Plan, presented in 2018, and which was based on the knowledge of the reality, more specifically the Matosinhos Health Profile. A Plan oriented towards health promotion and disease prevention, which also illustrates the importance of promoting care in the community, namely, of promoting measures to support the Informal Caregiver.
The project "Bolsa de Cuidadores" implemented by the Câmara de Matosinhos since 2020 arose from the awareness of the need to provide support to informal carers, aware that their quality of life is often described as lower compared to the general population.
This service provides, free of charge, people with the appropriate profile and skills - external caregivers, to allow the Informal Carer breaks from their caring role, so that they can dedicate themselves to any other activity that constitutes a personal benefit, or mere rest.
The training course which started yesterday, 28th November, at Casa da Juventude in Matosinhos, was attended by the Vice Mayor of Matosinhos and responsible for social intervention and health, Carlos Mouta. The action is promoted by the City Hall of Matosinhos, the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) and the Local Health Unit of Matosinhos (ULSM), is aimed at people aged 18 or over, unemployed people registered at the job centre, with at least the 9th year of schooling, It aims to increase the professional skills of unemployed people, registered at the Employment Centre of Matosinhos, in a work area with integration prospects, namely in the scope of recruitment and selection of people to constitute and extend the "Bolsa de Cuidadores/as" (Carers Stock).
The training that has already begun has ULSM as its training entity and comprises a specific training reference of 571 hours, including a theoretical component (175 hours) and a practical component (396 hours of practical training in a work context - ULSM). It should be noted that the "Bolsa de Cuidadores" project began in 2020, providing six external caregivers, with the appropriate profile and qualifications, to support the Informal Caregivers, so that the Informal Caregivers can dedicate themselves to any other activity that constitutes a personal benefit and/or rest.
This project is not intended to replace the Informal Carer or the services provided by the local IPSS network.
Care is available at home on working days, between 8am and 8pm, for a maximum of 4 hours per week (4h/day, in a continuous manner, or twice a week, for minimum periods of 2h/day) and not exceeding 20 hours/month.
Between January 2020 and June 2022, the Carers' Grant covered 42 families. In this period 3328 home visits were performed and 10 070 hours of respite care were provided.
Currently 21 families maintain this service.
The operationalization of the project itself is done in partnership with "ADEIMA - Associação para o Desenvolvimento Integrado de Matosinhos", which also ensures the regular evaluation of the implementation results, allowing the perspective of its continuity by introducing improvement actions.