Managing chronic illness at home with home carers

Orthodox health system does not speak into the health of persons living with chronic conditions and illness that cannot be cured, Chief Servant of the Ripples Health Care, Madam Mavis Okaine Afoakwa, noted last Tuesday.

Speaking on Joy FM's Ultimate Health Programme, she explained people with chronic conditions need special social treatment with intensive care.

Madam Mavis Okaine observed that individuals and the entire nation are not prepared for persons living with eternal conditions and, for that matter, people do not even want to talk about the conditions.

Shedding light on the work of the Ripples Health Care, she noted that workers there are neither nurses nor doctors but are trained to work hand in hand with doctors to offer friendly health care to the needy and hopeless at home.

In addition, she said members are trained to have some qualities of trained nurses with credible social qualities which makes their work more unique.

When quizzed about her reason for embracing such responsibility as her career for life, she joyfully said “…I love to care for the sick".

She further stated: "I can say that happened after I had lost my mom without knowing what killed her…” Looking at the suffering that “my mother went through before she died, I decided to help anyone I find in that same condition as my mother… with that, I later realised the exercise was what I love doing best so, I gave up on my career as a business woman and went for training as a health care assistant”.

Touching on some of the challenges that come along with her work, she said a patient's condition could be very problematic, but was quick to add that it is rather exciting and joyful if that is one's call and choice of career.

Just like nurses and other health personnel, she noted that home carers also face the challenge of sexual harassment from some patients, but this is not to say that some health personnel do not harass their patients at times, she said and adding that they are trained to desist from the temptation of fornication and adultery.

She also advised couples whose beloved may be suffering from a chronic illness to take very good care of them. She warned that due to the behaviour of some carers, people should be careful about the kind of persons they hire as carers to help reduce the rate and causes of 'husband snatching' and divorce in marriages.

Madam Anthia Gbobitey, also from Ripples Health Care, mentioned emotional stress, HIV, stroke and cancer as some temporal and permanent forms of chronic conditions that need their attention.

madam Constant Osei also disagreed with the perception that one has betrayed her home when he or she calls on home carers to cater for their sick relative whilst there are other relatives who could undertake that task.

She said it will only take the skills of a professional to handle such persons better.

Home carers are special people trained to offer quality health treatment to the sick and ensure comfort to the hopeless at home, she noted.