MentHA Digital – Mental Health and Ageing

LusoGlobe Research in Charge

Pedro Machado

End

Abstract

MentHa is a project to develop a web platform aimed entirely at improving the well-being and quality of life of older adults with chronic mental illness, as well as their formal and informal caregivers. To this end, it includes (i) a cognitive stimulation program focused on reducing losses and preventing dementia in the context of disability and mental illness, (ii) a psychoeducational program for informal and formal caregivers and (iii) a neuropsychological assessment protocol for diagnostic support and validation of interventions. In addition to the commitment to combining human and technological knowledge, this work is a process that has been co-constructed (“side-by-side”) with the beneficiaries of the digital solutions and with representatives of the main stakeholders who are associated with this project as partners: ADEB – Associação de Apoio aos Doentes Depressivos e Bipolares, ASMAL – Associação de Saúde Mental do Algarve, Elo Social – Associação para a Integração e Apoio ao Deficiente Mental Jovem e Adulto, GIRA – Grupo de Intervenção e Reabilitação Activa, FamiliarMente – Federação Portuguesa das Associações das Famílias de Pessoas com Experiência de Doença Mental and the Portuguese Red Cross. With this innovative project, it will become possible to provide an important set of psychosocial intervention programs that can be implemented in a mixed mode (face-to-face and remote), in all regions of the country, not only contributing to the improvement of health status, but also minimizing the effects of possible (i) worsening of the disease condition, (ii) change of geographical context and (iii) social distancing or isolation – such as the current pandemic situation.

Researchers

Pedro Machado dos Santos (LusoGlobe) and Lúcio Studer Ferreira (Department of Computer Engineering and Information Systems, DEISI-COPELABS). It also has the collaboration of final-year students from ULusófona’s degree in Computer Engineering and Management Informatics.

Outputs

Platform

Funding and Institution