JN Circle to host life classes on caring for the elderly

The JN Circle will host the second of its two special Thrive Together Life Classes on caring for the elderly on December 3 at 6:30 p.m. The first was on Wednesday, November 23.

Celia Burnett, member relations supervisor at The Jamaica National Group, said the JN Thrive Together Life Classes are being held in observation of National Parent Month in Jamaica under the theme ‘From Child to Caregiver – The Journey of Parenting Your Parent’.

“Many persons have shared the trauma they experienced being placed suddenly in the role of caregiver of their parents, and it was evident that this was not an issue frequently explored in public fora. With November being National Parent Month, we are reigniting the discussion and providing additional resources and testimonies from individuals who have had this experience,” she said.

Kamala McWhinney, associate clinical psychologist, will host the session, and will be joined by special guests Jacquelyn Revere, caregiver and influencer; Sandra Latibeaudiere, lecturer and coordinator of the Social Work Unit, The University of the West Indies, Mona and director of programmes, Alzheimer’s Jamaica; and Suewanna Malcolm Wright, founder of Transformative Solutions Limited, who has special expertise in grief counselling and personal development.

“The sessions will explore coping and dealing with the initial realisation that parents can no longer be fully independent; accepting the change that has occurred; resolving challenges that might arise, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, incontinence and other lifelong chronic issues,” said Burnett, who noted that the sessions will also look at how one evolves as a caregiver, and the steps to take to ‘thrive’ during this period of life.

WORKSHOP

The sessions will be held in a hybrid format, with a small group being facilitated in-person, while others will be able to watch and participate in the session via the JN Group Facebook page or via Zoom. A workshop will be held following the class, on December 3, where participants will be given additional resources and support from experts. A special wellness package will be prepared for the first five registrants.

Interested persons can register for the online series or watch and participate by visiting the JN Group’s Facebook Page.

The JN Circle Thrive Together Life Class was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by the JN Foundation to provide an avenue for persons to share their thoughts on a range of issues, such as psychological and emotional matters, which emerged during the period. These sessions have attracted several hundred participants locally and in the diaspora in the United States of America, Canada and England.

The JN Circle comprises a network of JN members and customers of member companies within the JN Group, who bond through community building, advocacy and networking.