The health professionals of the University Hospital Center of the Algarve (CHUA) will mark World Mental Health Day with a program of activities, which will be developed between 8 and 11 October, with the community and in the Hospital Units of Portimão and Faro.
In the western Algarve, «there are several municipalities that host the initiatives promoted by the Psychiatry Service of the Portimão Unit», says CHUA.
The activities start on Monday, the 8th, in the morning, with an initiative aimed at children at the Silves Kindergarten. The youngest will be invited to "play emotions". The dynamization of this session is in charge of the psychiatrist Flávia Polido and the psychologist Verónica Ferreira, repeating the initiative, on the 10th, at the Monchique Kindergarten.
Still in Silves, in the afternoon, at 15 pm at the Municipal Swimming Pools, a sporting activity is held open to the population under the motto “Sport is good for the head”.
On the 9th, «attention turns to the users and their respective families accompanied at the Psychiatry and Rehabilitation Day Hospital of Portimão, in a session where the aim is to discuss strategies for promoting mental health».
On the 10th, Wednesday, the date on which World Mental Health Day is marked, activities are scheduled in Monchique, Lagos and Faro.
On the 10th, at 11:00 am, the Monchique Fire Brigade will host a lecture addressed to the National Republican Guard and Fire Brigade teams on “Stress Management”. In this session, Marina Carvalho, psychologist, presents the main strategies for managing stressful situations.
Also in the municipality of Monchique, at 14:30 pm, at the Casa do Povo in Alferce, a lecture will be held for the senior population of the parishes of Marmelete, Monchique and Alferce with the theme “Meeting with the Specialist – Promotion of Mental Health”, given by Maria do Carmo Cruz, director of the Psychiatry Service of Portimão.
The commemorations of Mental Health Day also pass through Lagos and are aimed at young people, in an action that takes place at Escola Secundária Gil Eanes. Psychologist Kelley MacGregor, nurse Bruno Henriques and occupational therapist Eduarda Tavares will talk to students at this secondary school about “Promotion of Mental Health in Adolescents”, addressing some of the most relevant issues of adolescence in terms of mental health.
Also the Psychiatry Service of the Hospital Unit of Faro will join the commemorations of Mental Health Day, presenting a program specially designed for users and their families, «in an afternoon full of fun activities that take place in the facilities of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Faro. Zumba, karaoke and traditional games promise to put users, professionals and the community on the move, encouraging sports and the practice of activities that promote psychological and emotional well-being. The afternoon ends with a convivial snack», advances CHUA.
The celebrations will continue, on the 11th, in the municipality of Aljezur with the lecture “How to prevent and how to deal with depression”, at the premises of the Amador do Rogil Folklore Group, given by Orlando Tur, psychiatrist at the Portimão Unit.
Also on the 11th, at the Municipal Theater of Portimão – TEMPO, between 17:30 pm and 20:00 pm, there will be a cinema session with the screening of the short films “Muletas” and “Umbra”, both on the subject of mental health. After the screening of the films, a public debate ensued with the presence of several mental health specialists. This initiative is free entry and open to the general public.
In addition to the initiatives aimed at the population, throughout the week, the Psychiatry Service at the Portimão Unit “opens its doors” to the hospital community with a view to promoting the mental health of professionals. In this context, every day of the week (from 8 to 11 October), between 14 pm and 00 pm, sessions are held for the employees of the University Hospital Center of the Algarve, where topics such as “Relaxation”, “Management of the Emotions” and “Mindfulness”.
Throughout the week, an exhibition on strategies for promoting and maintaining mental health and raising awareness of reducing the social stigma of mental illness will also be on display in the hall of the Hospital Unit of Portimão.
The complete program can be consulted here.
Comments