As part of the Life Skills and Caregivers initiative, FLO Chennai organised an “Interaction Session at the Women’s Indian Association (WIA) to understand the caregiver training ecosystem and explore opportunities for collaboration and support. The session brought together FLO Chennai members, WIA faculty and representatives, caregiver trainees, graduates, and ecosystem supporters.
The caregiver training programme at WIA is a one-year certification course comprising six months of academic learning followed by six months of practical exposure. The interaction provided FLO Chennai members with an opportunity to directly engage with trainees and understand the responsibilities, challenges, and scope of caregiving and healthcare support services.
The session was presided over by Dr. Padma Venkatraman along with WIA faculty members and executive committee representatives, who shared details about WIA’s work in women’s empowerment, healthcare support training, skill development, and livelihood creation. Discussions during the session focused on the importance of combining technical caregiving skills with empathy, patience, communication, and responsibility.
Participants were introduced to various aspects of caregiving, including monitoring health conditions, assisting with mobility, maintaining records, supporting daily patient needs, and ensuring emotional reassurance and human connection in patient care. The interaction also highlighted the growing demand for trained and dependable caregivers, particularly in elderly care and patient support services. Emphasis was placed on discipline, hygiene, ethical conduct, confidentiality, punctuality, and effective communication as essential qualities for caregivers.
FLO Chennai members, including Fareeda Khan, Babita Chopra, Prakriti Goenka, and Executive Committee member Preethika Munoth, were present during the session. The interaction concluded with discussions on future engagement opportunities and continued support for women entering the caregiving profession.