Trench Town Polytechnic champions better care for seniors

Trench Town Polytechnic College is on a mission to get the Eira Schaeder Home for the Aged officially registered under the Nursing Home Registration Act -- a move that could open more doors for both students and the elderly.

"We have been trying with the local authority to get the home registered, because our students go there every week," Dr Dosseth Edwards-Watson explained. "Our nurse visits daily to conduct vital sign checks but we can't get them to do fulsome practice and formally adopt the home until it is officially registered."

Since 1985, the Eira Schaeder Home has been a refuge for homeless seniors in Trench Town. Edwards-Watson has been working closely with government officials, including Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, to speed up the registration process. "We've been trying to work through the system, so we're hoping that, with your talking to us now, we will be able to get that done," she said.

This push comes as part of a broader effort by Trench Town Polytechnic College to transform education for its students. Through partnerships with institutions such as College of the Rockies in British Columbia, Canada, and Brown's Town Community College in St Ann, Trench Town Polytechnic College is focusing on hands-on learning experiences and community involvement.

"Most of our students are first-generation tertiary learners," Edwards-Watson noted. "They don't have a history of seeing a family member studying, so we have to model education differently for them. They need to see what it looks like and experience it first-hand."

The college has already adopted the Eira Schaeder Home for the Aged, providing monthly support and encouraging students in allied health and geriatric care programmes to engage with the residents. "These students are learning more than just theory. They go in, do community surveys, assist with daily needs, and build relationships with the elderly," she said.

Edwards-Watson praised the dedication of caregivers, including co-founder Lloyd Ferguson, who have been instrumental in maintaining the home despite limited resources.

"Out of the little that he has, he works and collaborates with others, and we are partnering with him to provide better care," Edwards-Watson said.

Beyond institutional support, Edwards-Watson is also encouraged by the younger generation's commitment to elderly care.

"Sometimes young people shy away from working with older adults, but our students genuinely enjoy it. They do the residents' hair, clip their nails, and simply sit and chat with them. When you see that kind of generational relay, you know something good is happening."

One of the home's residents, Milton Johnson, who was born in 1943 and claims he was Bob Marley's mechanic, has benefited greatly from the care provided.

Dressed in white with Rasta-coloured accents, Johnson, even sang Lively Up Y ourself by Bob Marley and the Wailers, showing the vibrant spirit of Trench Town.

"They take care of me here. The nurses are very nice, and you'd think we are their parents by how they treat us. A lot of elderly people live here, and they manage to care for us well. I appreciate them," he said.