Home Caretaker Training in Damascus
The Middle East Council of Churches conducted “Home Caretaker” course in Damascus, Syria, in cooperation with IECD - European Institute for Cooperation and Development.
The course lasted for 32 days at the IECD headquarters and included practical training for 19 trainees in “Dar Al Saada”, which is an elderly care home, in Damascus.
The trainer, Thanya Mansour, said: "the course included several major topics aiming at building the capacity of trainees in providing comprehensive care for the elderly people, developing their effective communication skills when dealing with elderly people, whether healthy or sick, in addition to identifying basic human needs according to Maslow’s and Henderson’s theories."
She added: “as well as the course included practical training to allow trainees apply the needed procedures and skills when dealing with elderly people. The practical training had two phases; the first one included the application of learned information on a manikin while the second phase included direct engagement with elderly people in a care home”.
One of the trainees said: “we obtained very useful information through this course. The training had a practical aspect including actual interaction with elderly people, which provided a very interesting experience, both practical and humane. It is a great feeling to be able to encourage and support someone who feels abandoned by the whole world after giving a lot in his\her youth”.
At the end of the training, trainees received certificates in addition to medical kit that will help them start working. The kit included digital and mercury thermometers, blood pressure monitors, glucometers, and oximeters.
It is noteworthy that the importance of such training stems from the increase in the number of elderly people who have no one to provide the care they need, because of the emigration of large numbers of youth, looking for better life, who left behind aged parents in need for care and attention.
