The Office of the First Lady in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection yesterday opened the second Training of ‘Caregivers for the Elderly’ Workshop for this year at the Regency Suites.
A release from the Ministry of the Presidency said that Lieutenant Colonel (ret’d) Yvonne Smith of the Office of the First Lady encouraged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity afforded to them to not only better themselves, but to provide the much needed care for the elderly.
The five-day workshop, which caters for 39 female participants, will focus on areas such as identifying a stroke, types of stroke, moving and positioning of the elderly, dealing with mental health issues such as Alzheimer’s disease, stress management, abuse of seniors, diabetes care and management, feeding of seniors, responsibilities of the caregiver and skills in communicating with the elderly. It will be facilitated by Licenced Clinical Social Worker, Ismay Griffith and Gender Consultant at the Ministry of Social Protection, Hazel Halley-Burnett.
This first component, the release said, will be followed by the First Aid, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training, at the Guyana Red Cross Society (GRCS) on August 21-25, 2017.
Sheneeza Scott encouraged her colleagues to always have patience and understanding. She said that while she was caring for an elderly person, it was quickly recognised that his mood changed quite often and gaining an appreciation for those challenges faced by seniors, would help the caregiver to be excellent at the job.
The participants were drawn from various organisations and communities, including the Women Across
Differences. At the end of the workshop, they will receive a certificate of completion and will be placed at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Uncle Eddie’s Home and the Palms Geriatric Home for a one-day practical exercise.
The first certified ‘Care for the Elderly’ Workshop for this year, which catered for 34 participants, was held in April at the Ministry of Social Protection’s Boardroom.
