Isolation and loneliness: four projects that help older people live happier lives

It is estimated that approximately 25% of residents of Lisbon’s municipal areas are over 65 years of age. For this reason, to Gebalisa company that manages 66 microdistricts of the capital, One of the main challenges is careful monitoring of the elderly population.. When identifying dangerous situations, Gebalis proxy offices use several tools.

“Our work involves being close to the population. To do this, we regularly visit the home, work with partners, neighbors, the community, assess situations and try to make recommendations or respond through our services. One of the things we do is related to the adaptation of houses, and one of the measures that people most often resort to is replacing the bathtub with a shower tray, which provides them with safety and quality of life,” says Ana Rita Paso from the Gebalis office in the Orta Nova area. .

According to Enrique Coutinho, a resident of the same area: “Now I can shower alone, get in and out of the shower, even with some difficulties, at 73 years old this is already a little difficult. I will not forget for the support you gave me, I am very grateful to Gebalis.”

Simple measures, but which change the lives of the residents of these neighborhoods, especially the elderly.

The need to keep an eye on the elderly population prompted Gebalis to join in 2020 project “Radar”, promoted by the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa organization together with the Lisbon City Council and other partners. The goal of the project is to georeference people over 65 years of age and understand their hardships and expectations in order to be able to intervene more quickly in their lives.

“In Gebalis, in this area, we are always trying to know how and where people are, and therefore we are updating the platform itself. For example, today I can be with an elderly person who is doing great, but in a week or a month the situation will worsen and it would be advisable to do it again gain, taking into account the vulnerability of the older person and creating a new intervention plan. This whole process is coordinated with different partners, depending on the needs,” says Nivaldo Silva from the Gebalis office in the Padre Cruz region.

The program’s digital platform allows information to be shared between the various participating partners, tracking situations that need to be monitored and supported. Moreover, the constant visits of these technicians are the highlight of the day for many older people in the municipal areas of Lisbon because of the friendliness, caring, hearing a friendly voice and the opportunity it gives to share their lives. .

Still under Project Radar. other activities are being promoted to combat isolation among older people, such as the Radar Café.. In turn, inspired by this initiative, Velhos Sant Os Trapos program, which is based on a participatory methodology and informal sessions where older people gather to talk, share life experiences and even engage with other, more artistic forms of expression. Always with the goal of overcoming loneliness and creating greater closeness and solidarity between neighbors.

But there are even more initiatives created by Gebalis that also involve the elderly population, for example: project “Rock The House”, which promotes activities on topics such as home management and energy efficiency. And this is done in a playful way with the help of the game “My District, My City,” which has simple and very clear messages even for the oldest people.

All initiatives have a very positive impact on the lives of these people and their dignity. Because caring for older people means caring for our history, our neighborhoods, and the history of the city itself.