By: David Maina
Director – Rafa Institute Of Disability Care Studies
I began training special needs caregivers in 2016 after encountering challenges with my patients’ progress following in-home therapy sessions. I can’t remember the number of times I complained after they failed to implement the exercise and diet programs that I left with them to carry out before our next treatment session. It was then that I realized that the caregivers had to be part of this treatment program if we were to succeed in gaining improvement or better still independence in daily living activities. I learned that having a kind-hearted caregiver wasn’t enough to give me the progress I expected, not without the necessary therapy-guided care skills.
Since then, I’ve seen many individuals regain lost function, learning and re-learning necessary self-care skills they had lost due to various conditions. Our curriculum not only covered the affected but also brought back love and hope in their families. My focus as an Occupational Therapist was to bridge that gap, and this worked well. Rafa Institute Of Disability Care Studies has since participated in the AccessAbilities Expo in Dubai for the past four years, helping us understand that care needs for special needs conditions are the same worldwide. We are now connecting families with well-trained caregivers and it is such a joy. Get in touch!
