Poultry operation healthy for infirmary residents
Published:Saturday | September 24, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer
PORT MARIA, St Mary:
"MOST OF our residents are mentally challenged or socially displaced, meaning they have no one to take care of them. Most of them are elderly, with no children around. The youngest person is in his 30s, so it's not really a young population," registered nurse, Avie-Ann Laing, of the St Mary Infirmary, told The Gleaner during a recent visit to the institution.
There are 48 male residents housed in a ward separate from the 30 females. The roof of the male ward is in a deplorable condition and must be replaced. It is in such a bad state it is beyond repair. Mayor of Port Maria Richard Creary is aware that the roof is termite infested, and an application has been submitted to have it replaced under an initiative announced by Prime Minister Bruce Golding from which golden-age homes, infirmaries, and such institutions can benefit. This can't happen too fast for Laing.
"I have to move some residents whenever it rains. The wood itself is falling down on the bed and it keeps giving them the skin problem that we are trying to combat. They just start itching when the mites fall on their skin, so the need is great right now," she disclosed.
Despite this, there is a lot happening for the infirmary, which seems to attract the attention of a growing cadre of individuals and groups that give of their time and other resources to make life more bearable for the residents.
In fact, only recently, a revolving poultry scheme funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation, which involves construction of a chicken coop and slaughter facilities, was officially opened and is up and running. Money from the sale of meat to the general public will be used to keep the project going, with some of the chicken used to meet the protein needs of the residents. However, for Laing, the therapeutic value of the poultry operation is a major plus.
Workers are assigned to feed, water, and generally, care for the chickens. For the 20 or so able-bodied residents who are able to help out, under supervision, of course, it provides an invaluable fillip for their self-esteem.
"Waking up in the morning, they know they have to feed and water the chickens. So it's like a job, in a sense, in their heads. So I find that they get up, they do it willingly, and it gives that happiness," Laing explains.
She insists that for the residents who hardly ever leave the compound, and who for the most part engage in few meaningful daily activities, this is a big deal, and things are looking to get even better for residents of the St Mary Infirmary.
With funds raised by way of the mayor's charity ball, the parish council has just about finished building a recreation hall where they will be able to watch television, enjoy meals, and play board games. The concrete structure has been completed but needs to be painted, while the board of governors has insisted on some additional work in order to ensure the safety and security of those using the facilities.
Add to that the fact that the male bathroom was recently renovated and the female facilities are undergoing repairs, and it is obvious that things are definitely on the up. Still, the institution faces a number of challenges each day. Chief among these is the ongoing need for medical and health-care supplies, especially diapers and gloves. Even with the regular supplies from Food For the Poor and timely donations from individuals and organisations, demand for the latter two items is ongoing.
The primary aim of the poultry project is to generate enough funds to offset the cost of these items and meet other financial needs at the institution. And again, the parish council is on the ball. It has started repairs to a number of pens, with the aim of reviving the once-thriving pig-rearing operation at the infirmary.
So even as he acknowledges there are difficulties in light of the financial constraints, in the words of Mayor Creary, 'The infirmary is doing well."