Services and Programs
Home based care (HBC) is a system of providing prevention, care and support services beyond the designated health facilities to meet the overall needs of people suffering from prolonged/ chronic illnesses (like HIV/AIDS) and their families, within the home environment of the affected and infected individuals. It is one method of providing Palliative Care in a holistic approach that is meeting the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of the People Living with HIV/AIDS. The program works within the RAPIDS “Household Model Approach” and has continued to make great strides in trying to improve the quality of care that is provided to clients
To ensure quality service delivery, RAPIDS builds the capacity of clients, their families, caregivers, and their nurse supervisors through training, provision of material support, and technical assistance. RAPIDS is working with community based HBC volunteer caregivers and health providers in providing care and support to HBC clients. Caregivers also play a key role in re-enforcing adherence to drugs, providing training to clients in nutrition and offering psychosocial and spiritual support to clients identifying alternative solutions to deal with their worries and fear. HBC caregivers are provided with training in HBC care and support, coping skills, adherence and nutrition as well as in positive living and paralegal services.
RAPIDS HBC caregivers mobilize and sensitize communities for effective HBC and provide critical linkages to health systems and other social support networks such as counseling and testing, PMTCT and nutritional support. RAPIDS caregivers emphasize education to improve the management of anti-retroviral therapy(ART) and opportunistic infections and provide ART adherence support to prevent resistance to ART and to improve the quality of life for clients. RAPIDS also encourage the use of microbicides for adults and provides De-worming medication and Vitamin A for children.
With the expansion of Pediatric ART, RAPIDS Family Support Units play a great role in testing children, getting HIV+ children on Antiretroviral drugs and providing adherence support.
