“Pingo de luz”: an assistance for patients in palliative care

Abstract

The study and development of palliative cares in Brazil, especially when articulated with the health system, yet lack many advances, this kind of service has been used in the most part of the country. In that matter the Centro de OrientaçãoSobre a Morte e O Ser (COSMOS) has been developing a work of palliative cares with patients who has low life expectancy. The ProjetoPingo de Luz is an activity which psychology students accompany weekly patients of Serviço de Terapia da Dor e CuidadosPaliativos, working not only with the responsible psychologist but also trying to talk to the whole multidisciplinary team involved in the treatment. Our services shows relevant in the improvement of the patient’s situation, there is an improvement in both the psychic situation as under physiological. Worth mentioning as well that the prejudice caused by the disease progress affects the patient and his social environment. Therefore, the ProjetoPingo de Luz, based in thanatology studies, accompanies the patient and his Family in order to work the emerging demands and act together with the team of palliative care, identifying relevant situations for the treatment.