The Palliative Medicine hospital teams at ULS Santa Maria, caring for children and adults, marked World Palliative Care Day with the session 'Knowledge and Flavors in Palliative Care.' The event aimed to demystify concepts and raise awareness about the importance of this area, bringing together patients, families, and healthcare professionals for reflection and knowledge sharing.
Palliative care addresses the various dimensions of suffering, promoting the well-being of patients and their families, and is not limited to end-of-life care. A multidisciplinary approach is essential, uniting professionals from different fields to create individualized care plans that blend scientific rigor with empathy and compassion.
The Clinical Director for Hospital Healthcare at ULS Santa Maria highlighted that palliative care does not represent a therapeutic surrender. Instead, it signifies a shift in focus when necessary: from exclusively treating the disease to an approach that simultaneously values the illness, symptoms, functionality, quality of life, and the individual's goals.
During the Opening Session, attended by the Clinical Director of Primary Healthcare, the Nursing Director, and representatives from involved services, Ana Isabel Lopes emphasized the need for effective coordination between primary healthcare, hospitals, community teams, inpatient units, continuing care, social services, and home support structures to ensure continuity of care. She also noted that the Local Health Unit of Santa Maria possesses a distinct care dimension, a significant pool of expertise, strong university ties, research capacity, and clinical experience.
The meeting featured panels with nutritionists, insights from multidisciplinary teams, and the experiences of two patient family members. The latter stressed the importance of caregiver support networks and urged trust in palliative care teams. The morning concluded with a showcooking demonstration illustrating how meals can be adapted to individual needs without compromising nutritional value, taste, or ease of preparation.
