The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, in collaboration with the Office of the Collector, Diu, Union Territory Administration of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, is organizing a Five-Day Geriatric Care Training Programme in Diu District starting October 9, 2026. Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri Sudhansh Pant, will inaugurate the programme at Education Hub, Diu, and administer the Pledge for Welfare of Senior Citizens to participants.
Approximately 50 Anganwadi workers, frontline workers, and grassroots-level functionaries are expected to participate in this capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening community-based support systems for senior citizens. The programme seeks to create a pool of trained frontline functionaries capable of providing basic geriatric care, identifying emerging care requirements, facilitating access to government schemes and services, and extending emotional and psychosocial support to senior citizens at the community level.
The training adopts a practical, participatory and field-oriented approach, covering key areas including the ageing process and changing needs of senior citizens, rights and dignity of older persons, principles of basic geriatric care, assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), personal hygiene, nutrition and hydration, medication-related support, mobility assistance, safe transfer techniques, and fall prevention. The curriculum also includes basic first aid and emergency response, communication skills, psychosocial support, loneliness and social isolation management, dementia awareness, and prevention and reporting of neglect, abuse and exploitation of senior citizens.
Participants will be oriented to government schemes, programmes, institutional mechanisms and support services available for senior citizens to facilitate timely access to relevant benefits. The programme has been contextualized to address the specific needs of senior citizens in Diu District, with practical exposure to basic caregiving techniques forming an important component. Ms. Asha Sharma, Course Coordinator, and Ms. Ritu Dandriyal, Junior Consultant from the Senior Citizen Division, NISD, have been deputed to conduct the programme, which is coordinated by the Deputy Director (Training) & Head, Senior Citizen Division, NISD.
The expected outcomes include creating a pool of approximately 50 trained frontline functionaries in Diu District, improving early identification of senior citizens requiring additional care or referral, strengthening awareness of government support mechanisms, and enhancing community-level support for elderly persons living alone or with limited family support. This initiative represents a focused capacity-building intervention to strengthen the local ecosystem of elderly care in Diu District.