Loneliness and social isolation are realities that affect many of the people in our care. At DIAVERUM Portugal, we want to go beyond raising awareness and actively contribute to finding solutions that can make a difference in our patients’ lives, including beyond the clinic.
With this in mind, the “Say No to Loneliness” initiative was created. This edition took place at our Odivelas Clinic and was led by Mónica Carvalho, Social Worker, in close collaboration with the entire clinic team.
The initiative is based on a simple yet essential idea: opening the clinic’s doors to the community. By connecting our patients with local organisations and projects, we aim to introduce them to resources that can help prevent social isolation, identify vulnerabilities and build support networks and closer community ties.
Various community partners joined the project, ranging from local organisations and law enforcement to social solidarity institutions and community programmes, bringing different perspectives and solutions into the clinic.
The organisations and initiatives involved included the Coração Amarelo Association, the Public Security Police (PSP), the Municipal Council’s Sports Department, the Senior University and the Cavaquinho Group. The initiative also involved the clinic’s Rehabilitation Nurse.
Beyond creating opportunities for social interaction, the aim is to strengthen the connection between patients and the community, introducing them to resources that can continue to support them beyond the time they spend with us.
“Each patient ceases to be invisible and becomes fully seen, heard and valued”
For Mónica Carvalho, Social Worker and coordinator of the initiative, the project represents precisely this connection between the clinic and the world beyond its doors:
“This initiative represents a genuine break with isolation, opening the clinic’s doors to let the outside world come in. Experiencing the warm embrace of the Coração Amarelo Association, the restoration of independence guided by our Rehabilitation Nurse, the reassurance and security provided by the PSP, the contagious energy of the Municipal Council’s Sports Department, the wisdom and vitality of the Senior University, and the vibrant enthusiasm of the Cavaquinho Group restores to these patients the profound dignity of social belonging.
Through this community-focused approach, our clinic moves beyond its purely clinical nature, transforming into a haven of human connection and affection. Here, each patient ceases to be invisible and becomes fully seen, heard and valued by society.
For the clinical team, witnessing these patients’ smiles and shared memories is a breath of renewed motivation. More than a one-off event, these sessions weave a strong network with the community, empowering teams to identify and support, on an ongoing basis, those facing extreme social isolation beyond our doors.”
The “Say No to Loneliness” initiative reflects an approach that looks beyond treatment to the person as a whole, recognising the importance of social participation, close relationships and access to the resources available within the community.
