The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, in collaboration with the District Administration of Diu, successfully concluded a five-day Geriatric Caregivers Training Programme at Government Education Hub at Kevdi, Diu. The programme trained 56 women participants comprising primary caregivers, family members, and frontline workers including Anganwadi Workers to strengthen community-based elderly care and promote the dignity, safety, and well-being of senior citizens.
The programme was inaugurated on October 9 by Shri Sudhansh Pant, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice And Empowerment, who emphasized the importance of compassionate caregiving and community support for India's ageing population. The Secretary administered a Senior Citizen Pledge to sensitize participants about upholding the dignity, safety, well-being, and holistic care of senior citizens. The inaugural ceremony was attended by Joint Secretaries MoSJ&E Shri Sajeesh Kumar N. and Dr Sandeep R. Rathod, Director NISD Shri Gaurav Singh Rajawat, District Magistrate Diu Shri Rahul Dev Boora, and Ms. Ranjita Kotiyal, President, District Panchayat, Diu.
The comprehensive training covered effective communication, age-related health conditions, monitoring of vital signs, infection prevention and control, fall prevention, basic first aid, balanced nutrition, and use of comfort and assistive devices. Key areas included the ageing process and changing needs of senior citizens; rights, dignity and well-being of older persons; roles of families, communities and frontline caregivers; principles of basic geriatric care; assistance with routine activities and ADLs; personal hygiene; nutrition and hydration; medication-related support; mobility assistance; safe transfer techniques; and fall prevention and home safety.
The programme also covered basic first aid and response to common emergencies, communication skills, psychosocial support, loneliness and social isolation, emotional well-being, and dementia awareness and basic caregiving approaches. Special emphasis was placed on the prevention, identification and reporting of neglect, abuse and exploitation of senior citizens, while reinforcing the principles of privacy, dignity, respect and compassionate care. Participants were oriented to Government schemes, programmes, institutional mechanisms and support services available for senior citizens to facilitate timely access to relevant benefits and services.
The training methodology combined technical sessions, interactive lectures, demonstrations, practical exercises, case studies and field-oriented examples. Group activities, experience-sharing and question-and-answer sessions provided participants opportunity to relate training inputs to field experience and develop practical responses to diverse needs of older persons. Practical exposure to basic caregiving techniques formed an important component with emphasis on translating knowledge into effective community-level support.
The programme concluded with distribution of Certificates to 56 trainees in the presence of Shri D. R. Damania, Chief Officer, Diu Municipal Council; Shri Rahul Dev Boora, District Magistrate, Diu; and Smt. Hemlata G. Baria, Advocate, Diu. The collaboration reflected a coordinated approach between NISD, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, and the Union Territory Administration through the Office of the Collector, Diu, towards strengthening geriatric care and community-based support mechanisms at grassroots level, reaffirming NISD's commitment to developing a skilled and sensitised caregiving workforce.
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