CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 21, 2010) — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development Mr. Alstead Pemberton, urged eight new caregivers who successfully completed training in the care of the island’s seniors, to utilize their new knowledge to enhance their performance and delivery on the job and their personal development.

Mr. Pemberton’s advice came on Monday at a simple but significant ceremony in which the participants received certificates on completion of a four week training course hosted by the Ministry of Health. The new care givers joined five others who had provided care for the island’s seniors since 2006.

“Seniors laid the foundation for many of us at the community level, at home and the country and this is a way of giving back to them to show our appreciation,” he told the participants.

Senior Development Officer in the Seniors Division of the Ministry of Social Services Mrs. Garcia Hendrickson, expressed gratitude to Matron of the Alexandra Hospital Mrs. Aldris Dias and her team of facilitators for conducting the course at a time when the NIA sought to ensure that seniors received the necessary care in return for their contributions to the development of Nevis.

“Caring of seniors must be an act of kindness, love and loyalty, ensuring that they are enjoying a safe, comfortable and healthy life,” she said.

(L-R) Course participant Mrs. Evet Inglis receives her certificate from Senior Development Officer in the Seniors Division of the Ministry of Social Services Mrs. Garcia Hendrickson. Matron of the Alexandra Hospital Mrs. Aldris Pemberton (partly hidden) is at the podium

According to the Social Services Official, the course equipped the participants with knowledge and practical skills that increased their understanding of geriatrics and raised their general level of awareness with respect to the behavior of the seniors. She was of the view that the training would not only benefit the participants and the seniors but also the Government and all the people of Nevis.

Meantime, one of the participants Mrs. Evet Inglis gave her impressions of her course of training and the facilitators.

“The course and the way the nurses conducted the sessions in a nutshell can be described with three “U”s: understandable, unique and unwavering. They are well trained and brilliant, thumbs up to the nurses,” she said.

Training commenced on July 12^th consisted of three sessions per week. Topics discussed included practical training, nutritional needs, feeding, prevention of incidents in the home, medication, knowledge on various diseases and conditions and safety and security of the elderly.

The course facilitators were Matron Dias, Assistant Matron Eldina Farrell, Nurses A. Ward Stanley, Erming Hendrickson and Jessica Scarborough along with other members of the Hospital’s nursing staff.