FIRST Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger on Tuesday paid a special visit to the Male Ward of the Palms Geriatric Home.

The visit was as part of a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Social Protection, Destiny Empowerment Centre, Women Across Differences (WAD) and the Luminous Women Group to treat male residents to a pre-Father’s day “glam” session.

At the event, which was coordinated by the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Granger noted that through the initiative, the male residents benefitted even while the newly minted participants of her Care for the Elderly Workshop were able to put the knowledge they would have gained to the test.
“Some of the teen mothers have completed the Care for the Elderly Workshop, so some of them have that experience,” The First Lady said, adding:
“And it gives them additional practice of dealing with the men and the ladies… The interaction between the elders and the girls is to expose them, and to have them interact with the older persons; it adjusts their mind-set on how you deal with the older people.”

In an invited comment, WAD Coordinator, Ms. Clonel Samuels-Boston said that the girls’ participation in the activity helps to bridge the gap between the older generation and the new.
“They were able to put what they did in theory into practice,” she said. “It is important also that they, as youth, are able to bridge that gap and to respect the elderly.
“There are so many of them who came from single-parent households; so many of them did not have the opportunity to be have adult interaction or to be loved by a father…
“I think it was a good opportunity for them to feel that; they have boy children, so they themselves will know how to parent their boy child or children.”

WAD participant, Ms. Bibi Baptiste said she was deeply moved after participating in the exercise. “Pampering the elderly gentlemen,” she said, “was wonderful. It was kind to give back to them because they have already given to the society.
“We helped them to do things they can’t do; they said they would always remember us, and they asked us when we would be back.”
Surprised by the gratitude shown by the elderly men, Ms. Shavani Lynch said that the experience was very rewarding.

“It was my first time pampering elderly men; it was nice,” Ms Lynch said, adding:
“Over time, I’ve heard a lot of negative things about elderly males, and being there was totally different from what people say… “I don’t have a father, and dealing with someone who could be my father or grandfather was good; it felt good, and I felt good that I could make someone else feel nice.”
The men were treated to the services of Razor King’s Barbershop, and received gifts of personal care items, which the First Lady distributed during her visit. (Ministry of the Presidency)