Ninety-four females, who participated in the Community Development Department’s Care of the Elderly Programme at the Gall Hill Community Centre, St. John, over a 12-week period, are now better equipped to care for the elderly in the nation.
And, Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Charles Griffith, who was speaking at a presentation of gift baskets to the elderly in St. John recently, expressed satisfaction with the quality of the programme, which was the brainchild of Community Development Officer, Julie Husbands. He also praised the facilitator, Stacey-Ann Parris, and the participants.
Mr. Griffith noted: “Government is not only doing this programme at this location; what we want to do is to replicate this particular programme across the country. There’s a need for training, we have an aging population and there is a need to have persons who are trained and properly trained to take care of our elders…. I hope that some of you will use the opportunity to move the training to a different level, where you become self-employed and you become business people.”
The programme, which was oversubscribed, covered theoretical topics such as the Acute and Chronic Illnesses in the Elderly; Foundations of Elderly Care; Dementia and Alzheimer’s in Elderly Clients; and Palliative Care for the Elderly. The practical included how to: give bed baths, check vital signs, administer CPR, and properly assess an elderly client.
Meanwhile, Ms. Husbands indicated that some of the participants had requested an advance class, and the Ministry was making plans to continue the programme, as well as partner with the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology to have it certified.