The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continuously advocates for the care and support of older persons, particularly those who are frail, sick and bedridden, in their respective communities.

Around 30 home care support service providers and volunteers are being trained by the Department to equip them with necessary knowledge, attitude and skills in providing quality health care to senior citizens. This is through DSWD’s Home Care Support Services for Senior Citizens program (Home Care).

Volunteers include officers of senior citizen organizations, barangay health workers, parent leaders of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, community residents and staff from local government units (LGUs).

The Home Care, a new social technology program of the DSWD, is a community-based program that involves the members of families, older persons and the community in taking effective steps in caring for the sick, frail, bedridden or disabled, abandoned and neglected senior citizens.

This program is to be implemented by the LGUs, particularly the local social welfare and development offices who will identify beneficiaries and implement the project operations. The DSWD, on the other hand, will prepare these LGUs for the implementation of the program through capacity building activities and monitor project implementation.

According to Mylah Gatchalian, Assistant Regional Director for Administration for DSWD IV-A, there is a need to address the increasing challenges confronting the older persons and this program is one of the responses we can provide.

“We appreciate the interest of the LGUs in implementing this program and we hope that the home care volunteers and service providers continue to help us in advocating for the welfare of the older persons,” shared Dir. Gatchalian.# with reports from ABColorico