Ministry launches programme for the elderly
DUBAI: The Ministry of Community Development, in collaboration with Ajman University, launched a “Senior Citizens Psychological First Aid” training programme to target (40) participants representing the ministry and its partners with the aim of providing them with needed information, skills on psychological care services thereby enhancing senior citizens wellbeing.
The duration of the “Senior Citizens Psychological First Aid” training programme extends to six months with a rate of one workshop per week. At the end of the programme, the trainee receives an authenticated diploma certificate in “Senior Citizens Psychological First Aid” from Ajman University.
The programme aims at rehabilitating the employees at senior citizens welfare care centres and those willing to work in the field of psychological counselling for senior citizens, by providing them with scientific foundations, practical skills and specialised aspects, which enable them to achieve the necessary qualifications, knowledge and success and giving them the ability to deal with senior citizens adequately.
Rashid Al Ghemlasi, Director of Senior Citizens Happiness Centre at Ajman supervised by the Ministry of Community Development, said: “The initiative comes in the context of the package of initiatives launched by the Ministry in Ajman, based on the objectives of the national policy of senior citizens, aimed at improving their wellbeing, ensuring their active and continuous participation within the community and in line with the core pillars of the policy particularly in the pillars of “health care”, “community engagement and active life”, and “quality of future life”.
Al Ghemlasi stressed that the Ministry’s move to support senior citizens focuses on providing many development initiatives in the field of community service, leading to raise the wellbeing of individuals. The “Senior Citizens Psychological First Aid” training programme in addition to other initiatives implemented by the Ministry in cooperation with competent authorities and partners include the distribution of auxiliary devices to increase the wellbeing of senior citizens and circulation of the basic household items such as electronic appliances and other supplies and the maintenance of a number of homes for senior citizens.
A report earlier this year said over the past five years, the Ministry of Community Development has acquired 16 intellectual property rights (IPR) and innovations that support the welfare and rehabilitation efforts of the people of determination all over the UAE.