By Louella D. Desiderio (The Philippine Star) | Updated
May 13, 2013 - 12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines - The Retirement and Healthcare Coalition (RHC) and one of the
biggest nursing home chain operators in Germany are set to start work next
month on a project which will involve establishing model nursing homes in the
country.
In a
statement, RHC executive director Marc Daubenbeuchel said the group has
partnered with Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg to put up facilities for elderly.
“We hope to
encourage the private sector to emulate nursing homes that adhere to
international standards and spur the development of more retirement facilities
in the country,” he said.
The project
will start next month and will be completed in two years.
The RHC and
Pflegen & Wohnen Hamburg will be working with the Department of Health and
the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing (ADPCN) for the
project.
Through the
project, Daubenbeuchel said a new body will be created for checking the quality
of nursing homes here.
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Initially,
the work will entail converting existing nursing homes in Metro Manila, Cebu,
Iloilo and Davao to elderly housing that can accommodate 15 individuals.
As
established nursing homes are being converted, the ADPCN will include in the
nursing curriculum a geriatric program and start training students for work in
facilities for elderly care.
Daubenbeuchel
said the Philippines should look at how to take advantage of opportunities with
the aging population seen to rise in the coming years.
“Over the
next four years, the aging population will reach over 918 million. The
Philippines should start the necessary taking steps to capture a good share of
the global retirement market,” he said.
At present,
15 percent of the world’s population is above 65 years old.
The RHC is
composed of the American, European, Japanese, and Korean chambers of commerce.
It is working
closely with the government to promote the Philippines as a retirement haven.
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