Quang Tri: Training on care skills for caregivers of persons with disabilities

The program aimed to equip caregivers (mostly family members) with knowledge and skills to better care for persons with disabilities at home. The activity attracted 75 participants, who are direct caregivers such as spouses, parents, children, or siblings of persons with disabilities. In cases where persons with disabilities live alone or the primary caregivers in the family could not attend, relatives living nearby, such as uncles, aunts, or cousins, participated instead. The three classes were facilitated by medical staff from the Trieu Phong and Cam Lo District Health Centers. These trainers had been trained under the project on rehabilitation and caregiving and have worked in disability care since 2022.

The trainee presents content on providing nutrition for persons with disabilities in the course of home-based care

With the learner-centered approach, the trainers employed diverse teaching methods to deliver key contents such as medication management & prevention of chronic diseases, care for sleep disorders, safety & fall prevention, personal hygiene care, nutrition & feeding, oral care, pain management, prevention of bedsores and complications such as joint stiffness and muscle atrophy. The training combined theory and practice with adequate materials prepared, including clothes, pillows, towels, oral and body hygiene tools, cotton, bandages, alcohol, gauze, saline solution, and wheelchairs. This hands-on approach encouraged participants to actively share, exchange, and practice both on-site and at home, creating opportunities for peer learning.

Mr. T.D.H.H from Cam Lo shared: “Through this training, I realized how important family care is for persons with disabilities. With the two days of guidance from health workers, persons with disabilities can be healthier and more comfortable, and we – the family members – feel more confident and caring when looking after them.”

The medical team visits to assess and provide guidance on supporting caregivers in caring for persons with disabilities at home

Ms. H.T.L from Nam Cua Viet expressed: “I am grateful to the project and health workers for giving me the chance to understand different difficult circumstances. This motivates me to try harder to better care for my family members. I will apply what I learned to take better care of my husband whenever he has epileptic seizures, ensuring his safety.”

This activity is part of the project “Improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in provinces sprayed with Agent Orange” in three central provinces. The project is funded by the U.S. Embassy, led by the National Action Center for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) under the Ministry of National Defense. ACDC is one of the implementing partners under the management of the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP).

Translator: Thuy Hai