The diagnosis of advanced illnesses such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) radically transforms the lives of those affected and their loved ones. In this context, San Juan de Dios Hospital in Aljarafe has implemented a psychosocial care project that seeks to offer fundamental support to understand and manage the disease.
This program, which began in 2025, provides psychological support, emotional accompaniment, and home care. Its objective is to address not only physical needs but also the psychological, emotional, and spiritual concerns of patients and their families, promoting humanized assistance.
“"The hardest part was coming to terms with the illness and understanding what was to come. When an illness like this arrives, you feel abandoned. You don't know the pathology, the evolution, the care your loved one needs, and no one prepares you: you discover it little by little on your own."
The team is composed of psychology, social work, and nursing professionals, as well as volunteers trained in accompanying people in advanced stages of life. In 2025, the project assisted 91 patients and their families, totaling 410 beneficiaries.
Psychological work is crucial to help patients and their families process suffering, manage stress, and face the different stages of the illness. The aim is for people not to feel alone and to be able to validate their emotions, providing them with tools to cope with the situation without burning out.
“"Psychological work is essential because it transforms suffering into something that can be understood, accompanied, and sustained, so that people do not feel lost and can validate and understand what they are experiencing, without having to face it alone."
In addition to emotional support, the project includes training for family members and caregivers in personal care techniques and symptom management, which allows them to better cope with daily demands. Coordination with the social services of the region's municipalities and patient associations is fundamental to activating this support network.
