MATC gets grant for in-home caregiving training

Todd Finkelmeyer  —  8/25/2008 2:23 pm

Madison Area Technical College is one of 12 institutions of higher education nationally being rewarded for providing innovative in-home caregiver training programs.

MATC is receiving a $25,000 grant from the International Longevity Center under the Community College Caregiver Training Initiative funded by the MetLife Foundation. MATC plans to use the funding to start a program called REACH -- Resources for the Elderly: Assisting Caregivers in the Home.

The REACH project will expand on MATC's Certified Nursing Assistant program by introducing care in the home content into its curriculum. The new subject matter will be developed in collaboration with regional providers and will be shared with all state technical colleges.

As part of the grant, MATC also plans to create a new two-day workshop for family home caregivers. The workshop will highlight community resources and caregiving skills, with particular focus on Latino and Hmong families.

"There are two issues here," said Ed Clarke, MATC's director of grants and special projects. "First, hospitals are moving patients out pretty fast these days. Those patients may not be ready for a nursing home, yet they still need some at-home care.

"Secondly, as our population diversifies, we have to start being aware of different cultures and how they care for their elderly. Latino and Hmong families, for example, do not put older people in nursing homes -- that's not part of their culture. So we have to target these communities and let them know what resources are available to take care of older people at home."

MATC is partnering in this grant with Care Wisconsin, a coordinator of health care and long-term support services to help older adults live independently at home and in their communities for as long as possible.

The need for more training in this area is an urgent one, as an increasing numbers of older adults nationwide are finding it difficult to obtain affordable, quality in-home care. The Caregiving Project for Older Americans seeks to address this issue by encouraging community colleges to develop new, creative programs that train both family and professional in-home caregivers.

The 11 other winners of grants in the national competition included: Brookhaven College of Farmers Branch, Texas; Capital Community College of Hartford, Conn.; Cincinnati (Ohio) State Technical and Community College; GateWay Community College in Phoenix; Harford Community College in Bel Air, Md.; Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan.; Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii; Union County College in Cranford, N.J.; Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, N.C.; Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Ore.; and Tulsa (Okla.) Community College.

The Caregiving Project for Older Americans is a collaboration that aims to improve the nation's caregiving workforce through training, the establishment of standards, and the creation of a career ladder.

The MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 by MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement.

Todd Finkelmeyer  —  8/25/2008 2:23 pm