Our Programs
WORKSHOPS:
The CAAA has organized four major workshops on Ageing. This was done in conjunction with the Department of Church Life and Nurture of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
They were held at Agogo, Kumasi, Sunyani, Abokobi, and Akropong¬-Akuapim.
Topics discussed by the Resource Persons included:
i) Advising government agencies, developmental groups and health agencies to organize
Educational workshops to prepare the aged for graceful ageing.
ii) Advising government on the need to enact a policy for the aged.
iii) Ageing and financial management (reasons for managing ones finances while growing old).
iv) Infrastructural support for the aged.
v) The Social and Demographic Implications of the Ghanaian ageing population.
ADAWSO PROJECT.
In July 2003, the CAAA’s project in Adawso was launched. The project comprised free medical and health care, Education workshop for Elders in conflict resolution, provision to help and support grandparents caring for HIV/AIDS orphans. A comprehensive research project was also conducted alongside the community care project to ascertain the percentage of Older Adults caring for HIV/AIDS orphans.
HIV/AIDS.
For the period July 2004 to December 2005, the CAAA with the support from the Ghana AIDS Commission has made a tremendous impact in the area of Capacity Building among the Communities within the Akuapim towns in undertaking a Trainer of Trainers Programme in the area of Care, Treatment, and Support for Orphan victims and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). About 1000 Trainer of Trainers were trained with about 6000 beneficiaries.
The Trainer of Trainers workshop centered on the following:
1 What HIV/AIDS is?
2 The difference between HIV/AIDS.
3 Mode of transmission.
4 Myths / Conceptions of HIV/AIDS.
5 Need for Home / Community Care.
6 Diets.
7 Personal hygiene.
DEMENTIA TRAINING.
In 2006, the CAAA received a generous amount of $5000 (US Dollars) from the June Martin Foundation in the United States of America, to award scholarship to Women to be trained to provide Care and Support to Dementia Sufferers and also train others to acquire the skills of caring for dementia sufferers. Based on this, the CAAA organized a trainer of trainers’ workshop for some selected nurses from the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital and LA Polyclinic in the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions of Ghana. Dr Akwasi Osei Chief Psychiatrist of the Accra psychiatry hospital and Mrs. Grace Djane (Snr, Nurse) were the main speakers at the workshop. The CAAA in collaboration with the trained nurses, have organized a number of workshops in some towns on the Akuapem Ridge and in Accra, on the Care, Treatment, and Support needed to be given by the caregivers to Older Persons suffering from dementia and have also organized Advocacy activities for Older Adults dementia Sufferers who are abused and isolated. Some towns on the Akuapem Ridge covered so far were Larteh, Akropong, Tutu, Apirede, Adukrom, Mampong, and Aburi.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Biennial Ageing Conference.
On 22nd and 23rd April 2004. A National Conference on Ageing was organized to deliberate On the problems and prospects of ageing in Ghana. This was organized in collaboration with Help Age Ghana. The Theme for the conference was “Ageing in Ghana: The Problems of Ageing and the Contributions of Older Adults to National Developments”.
Dementia Conference.
2007 the CAAA organized a two-day Annual Conference on the 13th and 14th of June, on the Theme “Dementia and its Effects on the Aged and Caregivers”. The Resource Persons were Senior Doctors and Lecturers from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital and the University of Ghana Medical School.
The Guest of Honour was the Deputy Minister of Health, Mrs. Gladys Ashitey, who also spelt out the Policies the Government is putting in place for the Aged.
The Participants were made up of men, women, and youth groups from various churches and communities.
PRESS CONFERENCE
1st October each year is marked the United Nations (UN) day for older persons. To join in the celebration, the CAAA holds a press conference to sensitize the public on the needs of caring for the Aged in our communities.
In 2003, the CAAA in commemoration of the day, held a Press Conference at Koforidua in the Eastern Region where the CAAA Board members present gave a much useful insight into Ageing and its Management.
The 2007 celebration was marked with a press release by the CAAA, which was published in the 1st October, edition of the Daily Graphic. In addition, the executive director Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayete-Nyampong was interviewed by a news presenter from the GBC radio newsroom during the 6:00pm new bulletin.
PROGRAMME FOR 2008
The CAAA is spearheading a campaign to educate and train our local communities on capacity building for caregivers of older adults suffering from dementia, towards effective home and community based care The geographical communities and districts to be covered are Accra Central, suburbs of Accra and Tema in the Greater Accra Region.
