(Seychelles News Agency) - Daytime care for elderly residents will soon be available in Seychelles as two entrepreneurs get ready to open a respite care centre in the island nation.

Called ‘Let Your Light Shine Respite Care Centre,’ the private institution is owned by couple Marie-Alice and Jonathan Weatheral, with the wife being the one responsible to run the day-to-day business of the venture.

“I love to help people. We have never had this type of facility in the country before. You always hear of people complaining that they have nowhere to put their elderly parents and I wanted to remediate this,” said Marie-Alice Weatheral.

In Seychelles, elderly residents can be placed in homes, assigned a caregiver or live with a child or relative. Weatheral outlined that for those who choose to take care of their elderly family members at home, such a practice can be exhausting and stressful. This means that caregivers need a break from time to time or a day off to attend to their other business.

“The centre will work like a daycare centre where caregivers will be able to bring their elderly parents for a day and pick them up later,” she added.

As of August, primary caregivers of ageing parents or loved ones in the 115-island archipelago in the western Indian Ocean will be able to catch their breath with the opening of the facility.

Marie-Alice Weatheral is the one responsible to run the day-to-day business of the venture. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

Weatheral added that senior citizens can even be placed at the respite centre for a few days, a fortnight or a month, should the caregiver be away for the weekend, travelling or attending an event. Elderly residents who live alone are also welcome.

The government has been urging the private sector to venture in care centres for seniors, as Seychelles has an increasingly ageing population. The senior citizen population in Seychelles is defined as persons of 63 years and above.

The facility has the capacity to care for 20 people in the daycare service and seven people overnight. Weatheral told SNA that the facility can be extended to accommodate more people.

To enrol an elderly resident into the centre, the caregiver or the resident can call Weatheral on 2512276 or email her at mariealicegill@yahoo.com to receive a registration form and an overview of the centre. Serious and qualifying applicants will later be sent an enrollment form.

Interested people will have to pay a fee to have access to the centre which is located at Ma Constance in the northern district of Anse Etoile. The price will depend on the type of service that the client will require or request.

Weatheral said that the number of staff she will start working with will depend on the number of people who enrol.

“I will try my best to accept everyone, but first, there will be a need to look at their medical history and even have them get a general check-up at the doctor,” she said.

She explained that “we can take up people who are taking their medicines or who are suffering from Alzheimers and such but we cannot care for patients who need actual medical care.”

Senior citizens at the centre will be entertained with activities such as soap making, crochet, cooking among others and will be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The small scale, personalised service will also provide the place for residents to interact.