Aging Issues

[Darlene]

Hola,

I am bringing students to the DR to study aging issues, especially medical care. Who would you advise me to contact? Anyone in the medical field? A specific clinic or agency? Is there something similar to a Ministry of Aging? Also, how do I go about contacting an occupational therapist in the DR, if that is at all possible?

I appreciate any advice you can give.
Darlene

[Lambada]

Maybe start with the Universities offering medicine as they might be more attuned to the needs of students? For example PUCMM:
Medicina
and
UASD - Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud

[Darlene]

Thank you.

good ideas - and I appreciate the first link. I'll follow through on it. We will be receiving a lecture from a professor at UASD when we arrive on the island - sharing sociological insights. And I have been trying to get a contact phone number for the new regional hospital in Santiago. If anyone has that, I would really appreciate. Especially if you have a number that connects to an English-speaking operator so I'm sure I get my facts straight. Think would be a good place to tour.

But I'm especially looking for ways to gain understandings concerning rural elderly - and finding it very difficult.

Thank you, Lambada.

[Chirimoya]

Centro de Apoyo Aquelarre is a women's NGO that deals with issues of ageing, among other things.

[Darlene]

Hola,

Thank you. I have sent emails to the Santo Domingo office and the one in Santiago. Unfortunately, they are in English, so will have to wait to see what happens. I was not aware of this organization, so appreciate your bringing it to my attention. Would be great to be able to visit with them.

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by Darlene

Thank you.

good ideas - and I appreciate the first link. I'll follow through on it. We will be receiving a lecture from a professor at UASD when we arrive on the island - sharing sociological insights. And I have been trying to get a contact phone number for the new regional hospital in Santiago. If anyone has that, I would really appreciate. Especially if you have a number that connects to an English-speaking operator so I'm sure I get my facts straight. Think would be a good place to tour.

But I'm especially looking for ways to gain understandings concerning rural elderly - and finding it very difficult.

Thank you, Lambada.

If you mean Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago (HOMS) I believe the number is 829 947 2222. Can't guarantee an English speaking operator although there are English speaking medics there.

Most towns have Old People's Homes usually run by charitable foundations: for example in Puerto Plata there is the Hogar de Ancianos San Antonio María Claret - you can read about it here
Apo : Periodico El Faro - La Luz que Guia la Verdad

The needs of rural elderly are far more likely to be met by the extended family & to gain an understanding of this some Spanish will indeed be necessary i.e. if you intend visiting & communicating.

Your other possibilities are to contact the Catholic Church or other churches who make provision for the elderly. Then there are organisations like Caritas - the President of which happens to be the Bishop of Puerto Plata, Julio César Corniel Amaro. Phone, fax & email on the website:
Dominican Republic*-*Caritas Internationalis

[Darlene]

Thank you again, especially for the hospital number.

We will be working in an Old People's Home while in Santo Domingo.

I will contact the Bishop. Thank you!