On 30 April, NOVA Medical School welcomed more than 150 participants to the workshop "Extreme Heat and its Impact on the Health of the Elderly", an initiative integrated into the Community Programme "Aging with Health" and coordinated by Professor Ana Rodrigues. The event, held at the institution's headquarters, was notable for its strong interaction between medical students and civil society, especially the elderly population.
With an innovative and participatory approach, the workshop was conceived as an open class for the "Elderly Patient" curricular unit of the Integrated Master in Medicine, with the active participation of students, health professionals, academics and citizens over 50 years of age. The main aim of the initiative was to raise awareness of the risks of extreme heat on the health of older people and to share practical strategies for prevention and adaptation in the face of increasingly frequent climatic phenomena.
One of the most powerful moments of the event was the theatrical performance by the Arroios Senior Academy, which sensitively and humorously addressed the beliefs and attitudes of the population during heat waves. Next, students from the Integrated Masters in Medicine presented scientific data and useful advice on the physiological effects of high temperatures on the elderly population.
The workshop concluded with a roundtable discussion that reinforced the role of intergenerational collaboration and proximity between academia and the community in promoting health literacy and building effective responses to climate change.
Supported by CHRC - Comprehensive Health Research Centre, Lisbon AHA, Junta de Freguesia de Arroios, Alegria de Viver and the "Lisboa, Cidade Com Vida Para Todos as Idades" programme, the initiative proved to be a success, both in terms of the high level of participation and the impact of the intergenerational exchange of experiences. A firm step towards a better informed, healthier and more resilient society.