SOCIETY
LIVING AND WORKING IN A NEW WAY The pandemic has affected almost everyone’s life. But it has affected the elderly the most. Older people, who have many concomitant diseases are forced to stop or minimize their contact with the outside world. They really miss live communication with friends, relatives and neighbours. Our correspondent visited the Kopyl Territorial Center for Social Protection of Population in the Minsk Region, and saw how they work with their under-the care in today’s difficult conditions.
— We have done everything possible for the elderly not to feel forgotten and neglected. We are introducing new forms of work. In particular, “Home University”, a distance form of work, has proved its worth, — says Svetlana Malinovskaya, the director of the institution. — There are 59 people in our department, including 6 men. The age of the visitors ranges from 60 to 86. There are four hobby groups and seven hobby clubs, and three schools. Due to the sanitary and epidemiological situation, we opened a distance learning school “Home University”. We started by talking to everyone who wanted to enroll. In the end 30 people gave their consent. We sent a written notice to each of them that they were enrolled in the school. This document specifies all the stages of our work. They include the history of Kopyl and the district, medicinal plants, and a healthy way of life, — says Valentina Nikolaenya, head of the day-care department of the Territorial Center for Elderly Citizens. The students’ knowledge of the history of the region and their small motherland is tested. At first, the employees of the center provided them with the necessary information on the topic and tests with the questions to be answered. The first stage began on November 6 and ended on December 22. The participants were then presented with certificates of completion of the e‑learning school and the winners were awarded prizes. At the same time, the
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БЕЛАРУСЬ. BELARUS 2021
Territorial Center for Social Protection of Population staff conducted a survey among the elderly, whether they liked studying at the distance school and what topics they think should be added to the course. And they received a lot of suggestions. I should add that all precautions against covid infection are taken with the help of social mail, both among the elderly and among the staff. Specialists drop notices into the mailboxes where addressees live. — Each topic contained ten questions. One point was awarded for the correct answer. Then the certificates were handed out. In addition, thanks to the sponsors, each participant received a disposable mask and gloves.
Meanwhile, I glanced at the exercise book with the students’ marks. — So you have only excellent students! How do you determine the winners? — The matter is that they all came down to the matter very dutifully — the expert on social work Alla Grigoryevich supported the conversation. — At first wrote down answers in a questionnaire with a pencil and waited for the children to be convinced, that they had done all correctly. And then outlined the letters with a pen. — Our clients took a very active part in the distance school. For example, one 84‑year-old woman called to say that she had completed her task and was ready to hand it in. She only got it yesterday. She would wait impatiently at the window, because she knew WWW.MEDIKFORUM.RU
Home University
