The CAREP@ll-CONNECT project aims to develop and test an innovative palliative care support model based on the compassionate community movement, involving specially trained volunteers to support people living with advanced illness and their families. The objective is to complement the care provided by healthcare professionals by helping to address social, emotional, and practical needs that often remain unmet.

In partnership with the Local Health Unit of the Leiria Region and the Leiria Compassiva, the project will train volunteers and mobilize community support networks to promote greater comfort, reduce social isolation, and alleviate the burden on family caregivers. This approach is expected to improve the quality of life for people living with advanced illness, strengthen community solidarity, and support the development of more sustainable, person-centred models of palliative care.

Keywords: compassionate Communities, Community Volunteering, Palliative Care

Principal Investigator Carlos Laranjeira  (carlos.laranjeira@ulo.pt)

Research Team

• ciTechCare: Ana Querido (ana.querido@ulo.pt); Joel Vitorino (joel.vitorino@ulo.pt); Catarina Pazes (mcepazes@gmail.com)
• Local Health Unit of the Leiria Region:  Isabel Semeão; Sara Rijo; Adriana Azevedo
• Leiria Compassiva: Ana Carvalho; Isabel Semeão; Sara Rijo 

Institutional Partners and Others

• Local Health Unit of the Leiria Region
• Leiria Compassiva

Duration: 24 months (2026 – 2028)

Funding: Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UI/05704/2025)

Reference: SeedCare-HPC-2026