As part of the Loneliness Prevention Week promoted by Diaverum, our clinic carried out a diverse set of initiatives aimed at patients, staff, and the community, reinforcing the importance of connection, sharing, and combating social isolation.
Loneliness is now recognised as a significant risk factor for both physical and emotional health, particularly among more vulnerable populations and people living with chronic illness. In this context, we believe that care goes far beyond clinical treatment: it also involves creating moments of human connection, personal appreciation, and community integration.
Throughout this special week, we organised a variety of activities designed to encourage positive emotions, strengthen relationships, and bring together different generations and local organisations.
Among the initiatives carried out, we highlight the “Happiness Wall”, where our patients left messages, thoughts, and inspiring words, creating a symbolic space for sharing, hope, and affection. Emojis and visual messages were also placed on the hemodialysis machines, bringing more colour, lightness, and a sense of closeness to the therapeutic environment.
We also counted on the collaboration of the police, through several awareness sessions on fraud and safety – an issue of great relevance for protecting and ensuring the autonomy of more vulnerable populations, and particularly meaningful given that our geographical area is one of the most isolated.
In a gesture full of care and meaning, we received letters written by children from the Sertã School Group, addressed to our patients, fostering intergenerational connection and providing moments of emotion and joy. The engagement with and appreciation of this initiative had a significant impact on our patients, who felt an overwhelming sense of warmth.
The community dimension was also present through a cardiovascular screening held at the Sertã Municipal Market, in coordination with the Municipality of Sertã and open to the public, reinforcing the importance of prevention and health literacy.
We also carried out a training session for transport staff on the care required for our patients’ haemostasis.
In partnership with the Sertã Municipal Library, we provided moments of culture and well-being through the reading of two short stories, encouraging interaction, imagination, and the sharing of experiences.
Entertainment was, of course, an essential part of the week, with music bringing extra joy. We welcomed a performance by the group of Cavaquinhos da Sertã, which brought liveliness, tradition, and good spirits to both our patients and staff.
The activities developed in cooperation with the Municipality and the Senior Academy/CCD further enriched this initiative, including a theatrical performance and an embroidery workshop, which stimulated creativity, active participation, and social interaction.
According to Head Nurse André Ribeiro, “this week showed us, once again, that small gestures can have great meaning. More than just a week of activities, this initiative was a reminder that caring means being present and, at Diaverum Sertã, we want to continue caring in this way – with competence, closeness, and a human touch.”
For Patrícia Neves, the unit’s social worker, “beyond the activities carried out, this week allowed us to listen, observe, and better understand the importance and impact of small actions in combating loneliness. It was particularly rewarding to witness the involvement of the entire team and partner organisations in this initiative, highlighting that preventing loneliness is a collective responsibility and that, together, we can build stronger support networks.”
