NTUC Eldercare launches Care@Home "Together We Care" initiative
05 November 2009
Media Release
1 In line with NTUC Eldercare’s longer term vision to help seniors lead happy, meaningful and dignified lives through providing a range of quality and affordable care services and in response to the government’s call for more step-down care, especially at home, NTUC Eldercare is starting a new initiative, known as Care@home “Together We Care”.
2 During its course of service provision, NTUC Eldercare recognises the need to complement its direct care services with training to the family caregivers, especially the domestic helpers, in order to ensure that quality care services will be extended to the older person at all times, even at home.
“Together We Care” Initiative
3 This new three-day structured training course is targeted to start in January 2010. It will cater specifically to the seniors’ family members and domestic helpers. Although the course is not a certified course, the training content is dovetailed from the WSQ framework. It aims to equip caregivers with basic practical cognitive knowledge and hands-on skills such as transfer skills, communications and managing older person’s activities of daily livings. Thus, the knowledge gained from this course can also allow caregivers to further upgrade themselves for full professional certification with potential employment within the healthcare industry. The course fee is in the range of S$250 – S$300 per person with registration now open at 6478-5470/6478-5480/6478-5489.
4 Training alone is not representative of a person-centric approach which NTUC Eldercare believes should be adopted for caregivers. It is important to also complement the training with a support system so that assistance and continuous skills enhancement is easily available. As such, a holistic structured system is designed to provide them with cognitive knowledge, practical skills, and emotional care. Relevant products and services will also be made accessible to the trainees (i.e. the caregivers) in time to come. For example,
5. “As “Together We Care” is a major and new initiative, NTUC Eldercare will not be delivering it solely on its own but working closely with complementary strategic partners such as Agency of Integrated Care (AIC), Centre for Enabled Living (CEL), TSAO Foundation, Workforce Development Agency (WDA), NTUC Healthcare Co-operative Ltd, hospitals and others to deliver this to all our caregivers”, said NTUC Eldercare’s General Manager, Ms Lim Sia Hoe.
6. She added, “NTUC Eldercare hopes that the new initiative is able to indirectly enhance the quality of life for seniors and their caregivers and enabling the older person to remain with their family and community for as long as possible, thus, delaying institutionalisation.”
WSQ “Certificate in Community Home Care Giving Skills" for Staff
7. Another major area that NTUC Eldercare is working on is the strengthening of its staff training. With the aim to professionalise its care services, NTUC Eldercare has also taken the lead to send its staff from its Silver Circle Social Day Care and Care@home Service Programme for a structured training programme.
8. The 10-day course will equip care staff with the necessary basic skills and knowledge in caring for the older person. To date, a total of 49 staff have undergone the training, with the first batch of 29 individuals graduating on 7 November 2009. So far, $14,000 (after SPUR funding) has been invested. They will be awarded the “Certificate in Community Home Care Giving Skills”, a Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) certification programme developed together by NTUC Eldercare Co-operative Ltd and TSAO Foundation.
9. Ms Lim Sia Hoe said, “In the past, there is a lack of training structures and opportunities, compounded by the profession’s unglamorous image. Since the Community and Senior Services WSQ programme implementation, NTUC Eldercare has benefitted from the additional professional training and skills upgrading avenues. Positive feedback from the participants of increased competencies and pride in their craft were also received.
10. NTUC Eldercare intents to continue with its WSQ training course (Certificate in Community Home Care Giving Skills) by ensuring all its front-line caregivers receive the necessary training and accreditation as a value-add to their careers in this field. Given their tireless efforts and quiet sacrifices in providing for the welfare of others, we feel such recognition is well deserved, if not long overdue. NTUC Eldercare is proud to be at the forefront in this partnership to professionalise its care services.”
11. For example, Mdm Tam Sai Mui, 58 years old, staff of NTUC Eldercare, said that the training has widened her knowledge in care-giving, such as being able to identify hazards and improving safety for the older person. She also learnt how to identify their lifestyle patterns so that she can better cater to their needs and improve their conditions.
12. Looking forward, these trainings will continue because NTUC Eldercare believes that such skills upgrading will enable its staff to deliver care services professionally and with confidence.
