«Volta ao Monte» project has come to an end

The project aimed to intervene at the level of isolation and loneliness of the rural population of the municipality of Castro Marim, promoting social inclusion

The closing session of the «Volta ao Monte» project, developed between September 2019 and April of this year, by Associação Odiana, took place on the 26th of April, at the Multipurpose Pavilion in Azinhal.

The event was attended by 41 beneficiaries, from the mountainous interior of the municipality of Castro Marim, from the towns of Alta Mora, Azinhal and Furnazinhas.

The entities present were Associação Odiana, the Municipality of Castro Marim, University of the Algarve (UAlg), Portugal Inovação Social and the company After You which, with the collaboration of UAlg, developed a computer platform that allows recording and monitoring the quality of life and health of the target audience, based on physical and mental health indicators.

The recording of these data allows not only to monitor the gains obtained with physical activity, but also to alert in good time to possible health disorders and deficiencies of a social nature.

The project aimed to intervene at the level of isolation and loneliness of the rural population of the municipality of Castro Marim, promoting social inclusion through the development of interaction and coexistence activities and the maintenance of the quality of life, provided by maintaining health, independence and autonomy.

The project thus intended to increase physical and mental activity among the local population, which would have a positive impact on their general state of health and quality of life, as well as reducing social isolation.

In a first phase, questionnaires, medical consultations at the Mobile Health Unit of Castro Marim (UMS) and laboratory tests at the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine (DCBM) of the University of Algarve were carried out.

Afterwards, there were walks, get-togethers with healthy lunches/snacks, dances and accordion evenings in order to provide interaction between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the project and also to promote active ageing.

Finally, three panels were created with health pathways to be implemented in the participating locations.

During the ceremony, a diploma was given to the beneficiaries with the kilometers traveled and the individual steps taken, which were recorded using pedometers, totaling 65.945,145 steps and 55.811 kilometres.

The project had the collaboration of other entities present in the territory, such as the Parish Councils, the local Recreational and Cultural Associations, the IPSS, the Casa do Povo, the Mobile Health Unit, etc.

The «Volta ao Monte» project had the strategic partnership of the Municipality of Castro Marim, as a social investor, being co-financed under the Partnership Program for the Impact of Portugal Inovação Social, under the EU funds of CRESC Algarve 2020.

 




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