There is a misconception in Belize that all older people are frail and need care. Although there are certainly many abandoned older people that do need care and attention there are far many older people that relish their independence and would prefer to live comfortably in their own homes and avail themselves of the services available in their communities to enjoy their later years in peace and dignity. Unfortunately the services available to older people countrywide are woefully inadequate and those that exist are under financed and under staffed.
In an attempt to address this issue, the NCA teamed up with FAVACA (Florida Association of Volunteer Action in the Caribbean & Americas) and Florida International University (FIU) in November 2006 to provide training in home health care to family members, volunteers and support workers concerned with care in the community and who would then pass on their knowledge as trainers to others.
This Training of Trainers workshops covered areas such as:
- Healthy Eating and Nutrition
- Exercise
- Hygiene
- Care giving
- First Aid
- Positive Ageing
- Truths and Myths about Ageing
- Spiritual Health
CARE GIVING RESOURCES IN BELIZE
There are a number of organizations in Belize that provide a service to older persons in the community.
Mercy Care Centre:
Mercy Lane
Belize City
Contact Mrs. Marva Nicholas - Tel: 223-0344
Mercy Care Centre provides holistic care to poor older people in Belize City each day of the week. The Centre has a medical facility with a doctor, practice nurse and pharmacy to distribute medication free of cost. A home care facility is also provided to older people confined to their homes by a visiting nurse. The Centre provides a daily meals service, breakfast and lunch, to older people that drop in and also a meals service to those at home and too sick to visit.
Social activities are available in a lounge area and an on site church provides spiritual comfort. The Centre is also equipped to provide health education and healthy eating instruction.
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HelpAge Belize
Wilson Street
Belize City
Contact: Mrs. Sharon Polack – Tel: 224-5282
HelpAge has branches in each of the Districts
Corozal in Corozal District: Telephone: 422-0363
Orange Walk in Orange Walk District: Telephone: 322-2125
Belmopan: Cayo District Telephone: 822-2213
Benque Viejo del Carmen: Cayo District Telephone: 823-3053
Dangiga in Stann Creek District: Telephone: 522-3070
Hopkins in Stann Creek District: Telephone: 523-7247
Punta Gorda in Toledo District Telephone:
HelpAge Belize provides a service to older people in Belize City through a variety of activities that include homecare visiting to sick and infirm older persons to carry out limited medical care. It also provides social activities at its headquarters each afternoon and the distribution of meals each Thursday.
The District Branches offer different services to older people ranging from a meals service to home visits, distribution of food packages, social companionship and craft production.
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Salvation Army
Regent Street
Belize City
Contact: Major Errol Robateau – Tel: 227-3365
The Raymond Parks Night Shelter offers accommodation and meals to men who do not have any other means of support. For many the Night Shelter has become a home and the service is available to long stay and transient men. Most of the men who avail themselves of this service are older persons.
The Salvation Army is preparing to re-open a similar facility for women in Belize City.
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HOPE Toledo
c/o Red Cross Building
Main Street
Punta Gorda Town
Contact: Mr. Anselmo Cruz – Tel: 702-2150 or Sister Josefina – Tel: 722-2094
HOPE is the first National organization that provides a service specifically for older persons in the Toledo District (considered to be the poorest district in Belize).
HOPE distributes meals to the poor older people in Punta Gorda Town and surrounding areas twice per week and utilizes the facilities of a bus to transport the older people to and from their homes for various activities, social functions and outings. The nuns from the nearby Pallotine Convent in Forest Home visit older people in some of the rural Mayan villages.
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Belize Red Cross Society
BRCS provide a whole host of services to communities throughout Belize. They are mostly known for the humanitarian aid and relief service they provide during hurricanes. However, they are also currently working on an awareness of HIV/AIDS Programme with young persons. They consistently work in rural communities by providing training in emergency management, first aid and relief to the older persons.
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Residential Care Homes
Belize has 3 residential homes which are:
- Golden Haven Rest Home situated in the village of Hattiville in the Belize District: Contact Mrs. Olvado – Tel: 205-6079.
- Sister Cecilia Home for the Elderly situated within the HelpAge Belize compound in Belize City. Contact Mrs. Rose Armstrong - Tel: 224-4017
- Octavia Waight Centre situated in San Ignacio Town in the Cayo District.
Contact: Mr. Luis Pulido – Tel: 824-2214
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Day Care Services
At the present time there is no day care provision for older persons in Belize but the NCA would like to see greater developments of these facilities countrywide, which would provide much needed social interaction with peers in a safe environment whilst providing greater support to families who still wish to have their elderly family members living at home.
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