While life expectancy is rising on a global scale, population ageing in Sub Saharan Africa is increasing at an unprecedented rate. Projections indicate that the population of older adults aged 65 and above, in this region, will escalate by 218%, growing from 32 million in 2019 to 101 million by 2050. This increase is associated with a significant care burden and poses a major challenge for LMICs in Africa.

The need to build capacity within the elder care workforce to meet the heightened demand for the care of an ageing population, becomes a social and public health priority for developing countries.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development acknowledges the importance of meeting the needs of older persons, emphasizing the need to “leave no one behind.” It promotes international collaboration as key to building capacity in LMICs. Target 17.9 of SDG 17 aims to “enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity building in developing countries.”

This presentation will discuss the Train the Trainer Programme in Eldercare held in Durban, South Africa, designed to build capacity amongst the elder care workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative emerged from an international collaborative effort involving Commonage, an organisation accredited by the Commonwealth to work with older persons, the Fulbright Specialist Programme in the USA, and The Association for the Aged (TAFTA), an NPO working with older persons in South Africa.

Aimed at addressing challenges such as ageism, age-related changes, and disease management, the training sought to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to improve the quality of life for older adults. The programme was delivered to 28 participants from civil society and government organisations within 3 Sub Saharan countries viz. South Africa, Kenya and Botswana. With the emphasis on knowledge sharing and capacity building, the Train the Trainer programme empowered trainees to share acquired expertise within their communities, thereby widening reach and enhancing care practices in the aged care sector. This initiative contributed to the participants’ acquisition of knowledge in evidence-based best practices through real-world simulations and experiential learning, equipping them to develop resilience in and improve the quality of life of older persons.

Bio – Dr Renu Abraham Varughese

 

Dr Renu Abraham Varughese, a clinical gerontologist and educator, is an Associate Professor at Mercy University, New York. She holds a Ph.D. and M Phil in Gerontology, MS in clinical specialist in Aging, and an M.B.A. in Organizational Leadership. Her pioneering research on aging in developing nations includes a landmark five-year study comparing long-term care in India and the USA. A two-time Fulbright awardee, she leads international elder care initiatives, including the “Train the Trainer” program in South Africa. As Chairperson of the Travancore Foundation, Assisted Living Facilities in India, and the founding director of its Education and Research centre, she advances senior care education in India. A Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, she has received numerous prestigious awards for her contributions to gerontology and elder care.

 

Bio – Ms. Carmel Murugen

Carmel Murugen has 30 years’ experience working in the empowerment of vulnerable groups, including children, older persons and persons with disability. In her role as Divisional Manager in Research, Development and Strategy at the Association for the Aged (Tafta), her work focuses on research in gerontology, monitoring and evaluation and programme development, which includes the establishment of the National Toll-free Elder Abuse Helpline in South Africa. She holds an Honours degree in Social work and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management. As a member of Commonage, she has been instrumental in facilitating international initiatives such as the Fulbright Specialist Train the Trainer Program in Eldercare in Sub Saharan Africa. She is a published author with publications in various genres.