• On November 26, the Clinical Research Center of ULS Baixo Mondego promoted the III Clinical Research Meeting 2024, subordinated to the theme “Clinical Research in Aging: Challenges and Opportunities for the Future”. The event was held at the Auditorium of the District Hospital of Figueira da Foz (HDFF)
The meeting included the first public presentation in Portugal of the European project “PreDisc: Innovative model for the prevention of dependence in elderly people: from hospital to rural areas”. This project aims to prevent dependency and frailty in hospitalized elderly, promoting regular physical activity during and after periods of hospitalization. This is achieved by prescribing a personalized, multi-component program during hospital admission and its continuation after discharge, Thanks to the new transition and follow-up model by Primary Care and the development of an innovative eHealth tool. The project includes a multicenter clinical study to generate scientific evidence and promote the integration of these programs into routine clinical practice.
The project consortium is led by the biomedical research centre Navarrabiomed, Navarra, Spain, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Interreg Sudoe programme.
The event, which had 70 participants, the maximum capacity of the hospital unit auditorium, brought together several national and international experts to discuss the latest developments in public policies, health care, clinical research and ageing, aimed to raise awareness among politicians, health professionals and society at large of the challenges posed by demographic ageing, one of the main current issues. In addition, the initiative sought to inspire and empower participants to become active agents in promoting more active and healthy ageing.
With a diversified and dynamic program, the III Clinical Research Meeting 2024 reinforced the commitment of ULS Baixo Mondego to clinical health research and European collaborations, Contributing to effective solutions that respond to the needs of an ageing population.
During the event, the orthopedic physician in-house, Dr. Emanuel Cortesão de Seiça, was awarded the 2024 “Professor Doctor Manuel Veríssimo” Research Prize.
ULSBM creates a gym in the Medical Service to prevent functional and cognitive impairment of hospitalized older people
As part of the European project PreDisc, a gymnasium will be opened in the first quarter of 2025 at the Internal Medicine Service of the District Hospital of Figueira da Foz (HDFF), of the Local Health Unit of Baixo Mondego (ULSBM). It is intended to implement different models of care from traditional ones and aims at preventing the functional and cognitive deterioration of hospitalized elderly people, through a multicomponent physical exercise program.
The creation of this new gym has as its main objectives:
• Change the current model of hospitalization and outpatient treatment for older patients;
• Promote innovative practices that integrate physical exercise as an essential part of hospital recovery;
• Incorporate the VIVIFRAIL personalized physical activity program (www.vivifrail.com) into regular clinical practice, addressing the specific needs of each hospitalized elderly patient;
• Develop an efficient transition model between hospital and primary care;
• Ensure continuity of care after hospital discharge, promoting sustainable recovery with community and rural interventions to promote active and healthy aging, avoiding recurrence of hospitalizations.
By promoting practices that prevent dependency and encourage active ageing, PreDisc also seeks to strengthen health systems in adopting innovative approaches that respond to the growing demands of an aging population.