As part of the program, the team visited St. Elizabeth Nursing Home on Tuesday, July 25, where they had the opportunity to get acquainted with the operation of the institution and talk to the elderly living there. During the time spent together, the guests could listen to touching stories about friendships, loves, and even marriages made in the elderly home, and how it can mean a hopeful new beginning in the life of an elderly person if they are placed in a loving, caring institution, where they not only receive professional health care, but can also lead an active community life.
Following the meeting with the elderly, Dr. Kathie Erwin, professor of gerontology and author of several specialized textbooks, gave interactive training to Caritas nursing homes’ staff on caring for elderly people with mental problems, with an emphasis on practical techniques and community games that help maintain abilities of dementia patients and make the care process easier.
Then, on Thursday, July 27, University Professor Dr. Kim Harris and her team held seminars on workplace communication and conflict resolution for elderly caregivers, homecare nurses, and soup kitchen staff. Such trainings are extremely important in the life of Caritas, not only because it is good to refresh and update professional techniques from time to time, but also because burnout rates are generally high in these fields.
The guest speakers from the United States are staying in Oradea at the invitation of the Smiles Association as a continuation of a multiple-year collaboration, and during their two weeks stay they will also take part in many other social and professional activities. We would like to express our gratitude to Program Director Adrian Matiș for allowing the Caritas Catolica team to benefit from the program.
