Promoting inclusive societies for the better development of people
The Yamuni Tabush Foundation and PAHO have joined forces to improve health services for the elderly.
The Yamuni Tabush Foundation works to improve the health and well-being of the elderly in Costa Rica, an essential step in achieving an inclusive society. The foundation’s broad experience in the field and its extensive network of partners allows the organization to optimize the scope of initiatives for this segment of society.
For those reasons, the foundation has become a key partner to PAHO in Costa Rica for promoting healthy aging, developing inclusive environments and improving health services for the elderly.
Created in 2013 by Costa Rican diplomat Miguel Yamuni and his wife, Daisy Tabush, this nonprofit organization was designed to work on education for the youngest and to look after the elderly, both areas regarded as priorities by its creators. The Foundation provides financial and non-financial support to various institutions that offer services to ensure healthy and active aging, among other things.
Protecting the Elderly in Response to COVID-19
In 2019, the foundation and PAHO signed an agreement to work cooperatively for common goals for healthy aging in Costa Rica, such as creating physical environments adapted to the needs of the elderly, developing inclusive social environments, integrating health services for the elderly with services in the larger community, and providing health services training to address specific needs among the older population.
And because older people are at greater risk from COVID-19, the foundation and PAHO agreed to develop specific tools to protect this population. They developed training for community health workers in areas where the risk of COVID-19 was higher, such as in settlements, long-stay homes and other places where aging adults were particularly vulnerable.
In addition, the foundation made a financial contribution to help fund training to address COVID-19, and donated protective medical supplies for older adults at the community level and at care centers around the country. The support allowed PAHO in Costa Rica to develop a virtual course for staff working in elderly residences on COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures. For municipal and community staff, PAHO developed a virtual course on self-care and risk estimation; and for personnel who work with vulnerable communities, it developed training on prevention and control of COVID-19 transmission.
With its specific knowledge of the topic and its willingness to invest financial resources to respond to the needs of the moment, the Yamuni Tabush Foundation makes a substantial difference in enhancing the well-being of the elderly in Costa Rica.