Sandals Ochi, MOHW serve Mansfield seniors at health fair
OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Residents of the Mansfield community in Ocho Rios were recent beneficiaries of free health-care services by the Sandals Ochi Beach resort and other partners as they provided health and wellness activities for the senior citizens in the area.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), along with the Mansfield Citizens’ Association, joined with the Sandals team in providing health talks, exercise sessions, games and fun activities, and health checks aimed primarily at the senior citizens.
The team from the MOHW St Ann region were on hand to provide health checks, HIV and syphilis tests, blood pressure cheks, and blood glucose tests for the senior citizens. The activities for the day saw the seniors doing basic exercises, participating in fun games, and winning prizes.
Dollet Norman, a very delighted resident, shared her satisfaction with the activities for the day.
“The team from Sandals and the Ministry of Health encouraged us to do some simple exercises, get medical checks done, and allowed us to be entertained. The bingo game was entertaining and I even won a prize. The best part about this day was that they only catered to us, the senior citizens,” she said.
Meanwhile, 96-year-old resident Vernard Foster felt a level of satisfaction following his consultation with the physician on duty.
Said Foster: “I’m happy that at my age I could have a doctor check on me and do some tests right here in my community. The team did a good job as this saved me and other elderly in the community from having to travel to the clinic in the town of Ocho Rios or to the hospital in St. Ann’s Bay.”
President of the Mansfield Citizens’ Association, Princeroy Davis shared: “The activities today have helped all of the residents of the community to experience a sense of satisfaction as the team from Sandals and the ministry have given us a feeling of belonging. We were able to share and celebrate with the seniors who came out and enjoyed themselves. Even with the challenge that we have faced with the pandemic, this event has given us a sense that normalcy is closer than we think.”
The many activities that were geared towards keeping the elderly physically and mentally active were being done by a team from the Sandals Ochi Beach Resort Red Lane® Spa fitness and by the citizens’ association. The basic exercises gave the residents the opportunity to participate at their own pace while keeping the different muscle groups active.
The team from the MOHW attended to almost 200 residents while reminding them to use the comprehensive health centre closest to them. The visit and activities received commendations from the seniors and the executive of the citizens’ association, as the partnership with Sandals Ochi Beach Resort continues to grow. This was one of the major activities for the summer for the parish of St Ann as the partners intend on having other events throughout the summer months.