People with disabilities sometimes need care in their homes. Often people with physical disabilities can work and maintain independent lives provided they receive certain basic services – for some it might be help with bathing or dressing, for others it could be mobility related issues. Families in which both parents work or in which the disabled person is large and difficult to handle also need support at home to ensure high quality care for the person as well as to maintain their own health and well-being.

Trained care-givers are hard to find, in spite of being needed in so many different situations. In addition to people with disability, they are also required for newborns, stroke victims, elderly people, and people who have had accidents or operations. Usually what happens is a person is found and trained for the care of one specific individual. While this is acceptable, it is neither the best nor the most efficient method.

The Foundation will offer a six-month training course for caregivers (Class 8 graduates) which will stress the following skills:

Physical care:

• Feeding/dressing/toileting
• Bathing
• Physical comfort (heat/cold/position/bedding etc)
• Movement requirements and procedures
• Physio/speech therapy
• Non-invasive medical care (changing dressings/administering medication)

Psychological needs:

• Affection and Respect
• Companionship
• Communication
• Stimulation

Problem solving skills will be an important part of the course, enabling trainees to generalize from the abstract to the particular situation they find themselves in. Networking skills will be taught to assist caregivers in finding and accessing a variety of services within the community to help them do their jobs better. It will also be emphasized that the primary source of information about an individual being cared for is either the person himself or his family.