The Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of Porto (ICBAS) has developed an online support and training program for informal caregivers of people with dementia, the institution reported today.
In a statement, ICBAS states that iSupport-Portugal, developed in collaboration with the Center for Research in Health Technologies and Services (CINTESIS) and the Alzheimer Portugal Association and which is based on the intervention program of the same name of the World Health Organization Health (WHO), consists of five modules and 23 sessions aimed at self-care and “various aspects of care” for a person with dementia.
“Caring for a family member can be rewarding and contribute to feelings of worthiness and accomplishment. However, informal caregivers of people with dementia are a priority because they have a higher risk of developing depression, anxiety, hypertension, digestive and respiratory problems, compared to the general population”, explains ICBAS researcher Soraia Teles in the text.
ICBAS recalls that “It is essential that caregivers have accessible tools at their disposal” that allows them to access essential information for the care of the person with dementia and themselves.
The program, explains the researcher, includes modules “directed at self-care —how to deal with negative feelings of caring, anxiety states— and modules more oriented to different aspects of care —from basic day-to-day care to, for example, how to communicate with the person they care for or how to support them in decision-making”.
One of the advantages of iSupport-Portugal is the fact that it is developed ‘online’: “Support for caregivers lacks funding and has relied heavily on projects of limited duration. Many caregivers do not have the time or mobility to participate in face-to-face support and training sessions. ‘Online’ interventions have been explored around the world as a way of expanding support for caregivers, due to their accessibility, convenience and potential for scalability”, highlights Soraia Teles.
Portugal is the 4th country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the most cases of dementia per 1,000 inhabitants (21 cases).
iSupport-Portugal is available at www.isupport-portugal.pt for your use, requiring only a registration.
ICBAS, in the scope of the iSupport-Portugal research work, saw a new exploratory project (iSupport-Footprint) financed by national funds through the Fundação para a Ciência ea Technology.
Source: Observadora
