MVA Caretaker programme certifies 13 more
The MVA Fund’s Rehabilitation Team this week re-affirmed the Fund’s promise to its claimants of “Supporting your Journey to Independence” by training 13 Caretakers in Windhoek.
At the training, the participants were certified as Care-Takers after successfully completing the one and a half week intensive training.
In supporting the seriously injured claimants, the Fund makes provision for Caretakers to care for seriously injured patients (SIP). Even though the ultimate decision on who to appoint as caretaker remains with the claimants and their families, the Fund encourages that a care-taker be available 24/7, of mature age, compassionate, have basic literacy skills, is trainable and must not have any criminal history.
According to MVA in a statement not everyone who is injured in a motor-vehicle-crash requires a caretaker, but those who suffered severe traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, whereby the injured person is dependent on somebody else for performance of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), including feeding, grooming, dressing, movement and usage of ablution facilities.
To ease the challenge that comes with taking care of the SIP and to obtain maximum value out of the Care-Takers programme, the Fund conducts training in various regions as and when the need arise.
The training is conducted immediately after the patient is out of the acute stage of injury and continues when they are discharged from hospital.
MVA said, during 2016, a total of 37 Care-Takers were trained in Windhoek, Rehoboth, Rundu and Walvis Bay at a total cost of N$94 180.
According to the post-evaluation survey conducted at the end of each training, the Caretakers’ satisfaction level has increased to 94%, as they are now able to manage stress that comes with taking care of the injured.
In ensuring that information is clearly transmitted to the Care-Takers, the training manual has been translated into Afrikaans, Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, Damara/Nama, Silozi and Rukwangali as informed by the demographics of our seriously injured claimants.
