UAE Ministry of Community Development launches ‘Senior Citizens Psychological First Aid’ training programme

Dubai, The Gulf Observer: The Ministry of Community Development, in collaboration with Ajman University, launched a “Senior Citizens Psychological First Aid” training programme that targets 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 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 from Ajman University.

The programme aims to rehabilitate the employees at senior citizens’ welfare care centers and those willing to work in the field of psychological counselling for senior citizens, by providing them with scientific foundations, practical skills and specialized 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 in 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 “healthcare”, “community engagement and active life”, and “quality of future life”.

Al Ghemlasi emphasised that the ministry aims to support senior citizens’ focus on providing many development initiatives in the field of community service, leading to raising the wellbeing of individuals. The training programme in addition to other initiatives implemented by the ministry in cooperation with competent authorities and partners includes 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.

Dr. Rasha Abdel Rahman, Head of the Psychology Department at Ajman University, said that the training programme is a result of fruitful cooperation between Ajman University and the Ministry of Community Development. It includes a series of workshops that aim to provide participants with the basic information and skills about psychological care of senior citizens, she said, adding that the programme is also a good opportunity to train and prepare specialised and distinguished cadres with scientific knowledge and full awareness on how to provide care to senior citizens at all psychological and social levels.