“The problem is loneliness, and the night…” José’s mind goes to work at night, picking up things that he would like to forget. But Daniela’s visits, he says, are “a great moral support.” They play bingo, do physical exercise and work on his mobility. With these visits, José feels “a little more relieved.”

In the parishes of Porto where they work, the association has encountered an ageing population and many cases of isolation – both physical and social. But sometimes all it takes is a visit, a hug, a “how have you been?” It can also be a stimulus, a colouring book, a trip to the café at the end of the street to see the neighbours and have a chat.

The service is personalised. Each of the 64 people is heard in their own space, in the comfort of their own home. Sometimes being with “someone who listens” is enough.