Portuguese municipalities host events for National Informal Caregiver Day

In celebration of National Informal Caregiver Day on November 5, various initiatives are being held across Portugal to support and recognize informal caregivers.

In Viana do Castelo, the municipality is hosting the “Viana do Castelo: Community that Cares” session. The event features writer Pedro Chagas Freitas and aims to facilitate dialogue regarding the experiences of caregivers and the role of community institutions. The session also marks two years of the “Bolsa de Horas” (Hours Grant), a key measure of the Municipal Support Program for Informal Caregivers (PMACI). Since its inception, the program has supported 149 caregivers, primarily women with an average age of 59, who provide care for individuals with an average age of 76, often involving dementia or neurodivergence.

In Barcelos, the “Procuidador 2.0” community intervention program is being highlighted. Coordinated by the Instituto S. João de Deus – Barcelos and the Associação Nacional AVC, the project is supported by Portugal Inovação Social through European Union funds and the Municipality of Barcelos. The program involves multiple entities, including APAC, Recovery IPSS, and the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Barcelos, to provide support to caregivers within the municipality.