Pernilla Alencar Siljehag has presented her research project and gained a substantial exchange of knowledge with other European researchers.
– Among other things, I visited the research network NOVA Aging group and the sociologist Ana Paula Gil, who researches older adults' need for care. In Portugal, it is mainly relatives who provide care. There are also nursing homes to a certain extent, but no home care service to speak of, she says.
Gil has written exciting articles about this and studied legislation, local routines and the experiences and perspectives of various stakeholders (older adults, relatives, staff, management).
The health center Unidade de Saúde de Ajuda is located in the residential area Boa Hora à Ajuda (roughly means "Good opportunity to give help") and there Pernilla met the family doctor Marta Fournier. She teaches medical students at the Faculty of Medicine at NOVA and holds seminars with simulation exercises to train the students for clinical geriatric work.
The health center accepts patients of all age groups, but has special resources and specialization in geriatrics.
– They have an unusually high proportion of patients over 65, 30 percent. It varies a lot in Portugal between different health centers, what the premises look like and what expertise is available. This health center is state of the art, they have a team of nurses who make home visits to older adults daily. Marta herself provides care at home every week. She would like to get a doctorate and has been saving money for many years. But she has to pay for the studies, there are no student loans. She almost fell off her chair when she heard that you get paid as a PhD student in Sweden.
She almost fell off her chair when she heard that you get paid as a doctoral student in Sweden."
The faculty building is located in old monastery premises.
– Here I sat, written on the days I did not have study visits and meetings with other researchers, a lot of students from Portugal and many other countries.
The EpiDoc group is a research group that collects and uses cohort data in a similar way as Snack-K, but their data collection takes place in clinical care around Portugal with the assistance of research assistants.
– Their focus is still active and "vigorous" people 65+ and they also work with the implementation of their results and other research of ageing through prevention and education about lifestyles. They have produced several apps, TV series and a book aimed at the target group. They are also part of NOVA's network for research in ageing.
Pernilla also participated in the European Public Health Conference in Lisbon, but that was outside SWEAH's funding.
– It was still a big help that I received the travel grant in connection with the conference, the costs were lower than if I had gone on two separate visits. I think it is wise to try to collect your adventures abroad, for the sake of the environment.
See more of Pernilla's photos in our social media.
