AEGiS-13IAC: Care for care givers- a need to address.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Care for care givers- a need to address.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:(abstract no. ThOrD693)

Acosta GM, Ortega NL, C. Sescon JN
G.M. Acosta, Names Project Quilt Phils., 1066 Remedios Street Malate 1004, Manila, Philippines, Tel.: +632 524 0924, Fax: +632 522 3431, E-mail: gmacosta@info.com.ph

ISSUE: Caring for a Person Living with AIDS is very noble and requires commitment from the caregiver. To care for someone with AIDS is handful of job. A caregiver is a case manager as well. As a caregiver, one has to be well equipped with the skills of giving the practical help and support to someone with AIDS. You ought to have the knowledge of the different referrals and networks in case the need arises. In the long run, a caregiver can go burnt out because of the burden of giving care to another person. As a caregiver, they are also entitled to a healthy break. In Philippine setting, where can caregivers go for services? Discussion: It is very timely that a support service for caregivers be given an attention. The number of HIV/AIDS cases is growing but the number of caregivers has dropped. This is due mainly to burnt out and the lack of services and care for caregivers. The Names Project Quilt Philippines in partnership with Kaagapay Support Group and Remedios AIDS Foundation, in their own little way, support the idea of break for the caregivers and care for the caregivers. There are several activities wherein caregivers can avail: 1. Counseling sessions, coffee/tea party in assigned venues, a buddy system, some practical support. These activities has been going on for the past two years, in a very informal way. Some caregivers would opt to join the Quilting sessions to express what is deep inside them, a way of airing out their emotional and psychological burden and a ready listing of all the referrals and networks.

CONCLUSION: 1. Networking and referral system is a very essential component of any care and support system. 2. Multi-sectoral and team approach to care and support is deemed necessary. 3. In every care and support component of every AIDS program, caregivers must always have a space in them. They are a vital human resource to carry out the community based and home based care that will eventually complement the hospital based care system.

Keywords: AEGIS, Caregivers, Health Services Needs and Demand, Social Support, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, AIDS Dementia Complex, Philippines, Human
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ThOrD693