This Friday, 26 November, the Quarteira center of the Municipal Library of Loulé will receive the section “Let's clear up doubts…”, dedicated to palliative care. The session will be attended by the physician Ana Karina Abreu and the nurses Andreína Tavares and Vítor Martins.
The objective of this gathering is "to make known palliative care, in its principles and philosophical essence, also clarifying existing doubts, in what is intended to be an open dialogue for all", says the Loulé municipality.
In recent years, with the increase in average life expectancy and the evolution of Medicine, «we have witnessed a significant increase in serious diseases at an advanced and/or incurable stage, which are often associated with a set of complex symptoms that reduce the quality of life of patients and their caregivers/relatives».
Palliative care «are all actions that aim to improve the quality of life of those who suffer from problems resulting from a serious and/or incurable disease and with a limited prognosis».
These measures are intended to prevent and alleviate suffering, using the early identification and rigorous treatment of physical, psychological, social and spiritual problems, in a holistic approach.
Despite the great benefit of providing palliative care in the quality of life of patients, a large percentage of individuals who need it «are not identified and referred to specialized teams at any point in the evolution of their disease».
Ana Karina Abreu is a medical specialist in General and Family Medicine, postgraduate in Palliative Care and coordinator of the ECSCP at ACES Central. Andreína Tavares is a specialist nurse in Mental and Psychiatric Health, with a master's degree in Palliative Care. Vítor Martins is a specialist nurse in Medical-Surgical, with a postgraduate degree in Palliative Care.
Entry to the session is free, but prior booking is required by calling 289 400 846.
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