Georgetown, Guyana – (November 23, 2015) Over the next five days, professionals with a passion for caring for the elderly will receive training in this field, under the patronage of the Office of the First Lady. Mrs. Sandra Granger, earlier today, declared open a five-day training session for caregivers for the elderly, at the Recreation Centre of the Palms Geriatric Institution.
In her charge to the participants, Mrs. Granger urged them to take advantage of the session as it will prepare them for a new niche that is becoming even more relevant in today’s society. She, however, underscored the importance of practitioners in that field having a love for the care of the elderly, since it is only then they would be able to function effectively. “My first charge is to you is to like what you are doing, because if you don’t enjoy interacting with seniors, it’s going to be a job and not something that you are going to enjoy,” the First Lady said.
While acknowledging that caring for the elderly has its challenges, she stressed the need for patience to be exercised at all times.
The First lady also commended the participants, all of whom are women, for their participation as she noted that while they are all are caregivers in their own right, it is remarkable that they have decided to seek training. The participants were also encouraged to continue along the path as they seek to become specialists in their field. The First Lady also reminded the participants that their journey as caregivers should be a learning experience as elderly persons more often than not have a wealth of knowledge.
Meanwhile, facilitators for the training include Social Worker, Mrs. Hazel Halley Burnette and Ms. Ismay Griffith. Notably, Ms. Griffith was among a group of Guyanese living in Brooklyn New York who had met with the First Lady during a recent visit and had promised to render her service to Guyanese. Some of the areas to be covered during the training are what is caregiving, responsibilities of a caregiver, communication with the elderly, mental health and how to address illnesses that come with aging.
The participants, who were drawn mostly from the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education’s (IDCE) Care for the Elderly programme, will also be exposed to practical training in the different wards at the Palms.
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