A Home Caretaker Training in Syria
A crutch and a smartphone are all that is left to comfort loneliness for the majority of elderlies after the war in Syria. The sons and daughters of many families had to leave the country and their old mothers and fathers became alone with no one to provide them the needed care, making the wrinkles of sorrow and sadness appear on their faces.
According to the “Syrian Committee for Family and Population Affairs in Syria”, the percentage of persons above 60 years old constitutes more than 6% of the Syrian population and it is expected to increase to 10% by 2025.
The Middle East Council of Churches worked on supporting old persons through implementing Elderly Homecare Trainings to teach young people how to provide the needed assistance to the elderly at home. The trainings were organized through the Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Syria’s Office, and in cooperation with the Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement (IECD).
Recently, two 32-day trainings were organized in Damascus and Dara’a for 31 participants and included practical application of the acquired skills and knowledge.
At the end of the training, trainees received certification and medical devices including blood pressure monitors, thermometer, oximeter and blood glucose monitor with glucometer strips.
It is worth noting that MECC is going to organize more similar trainings aiming to qualify personnel to provide services to the elderly, which contributes to enhancing social peace.
