Therapy Abroad Partners with Dominica’s Yes We Care Programme to Expand Home Health Support

Therapy Abroad Partners with Dominica’s Yes We Care Programme to Expand Home Health Support

Therapy Abroad is proud to partner with Dominica’s Yes We Care Programme to strengthen home health care services for elderly adults and individuals with disabilities across the island. This collaborative global health partnership reflects a shared commitment to community-based care, caregiver support, and sustainable impact in underserved communities.

Known as the “Nature Island” of the Caribbean, Dominica is rich not only in biodiversity but also in resilience, culture, and community connection. Through this partnership, Therapy Abroad works alongside local caregivers to enhance home-based health services while offering meaningful international service-learning experiences for therapy students and professionals. Rather than replacing existing systems, this collaboration builds capacity, supports caregivers, and reinforces person-centered care within clients’ homes.

     

About the Yes We Care Programme

Established in 2009, the Yes We Care Programme is a government-supported home-health initiative dedicated to serving some of Dominica’s most vulnerable citizens—elderly adults and individuals with significant disabilities who are unable to fully care for themselves.

Caregivers in the program provide essential in-home support including personal hygiene care, feeding assistance, dressing, mobility help, home tidying, and companionship. Many clients receive seven-day-a-week care, especially those who are bedridden or living with complex needs. The programme also extends beyond personal care, helping clients safely maintain their homes, access utilities, and receive environmental or structural support when necessary.

YWCP caregivers undergo ongoing training in areas such as vital-sign monitoring, documentation, oral care for bedridden individuals, and feeding techniques. This strong foundation makes the programme an ideal partner for collaborative therapy support and capacity-building work.

A Partnership Rooted in Service and Sustainability

For the past year Therapy Abroad teams work alongside Yes We Care caregivers and supervisors to support home-health services across the island. Our role is centered around enhancing existing care, offering therapeutic perspectives, and engaging in collaborative learning, not replacing or reshaping the program’s mission.

During program visits, our teams may help with:

• Functional mobility activities
• Feeding and swallowing strategies
• AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) supports
• Environmental modifications for safety
• Basic therapy-focused caregiver training
• Home-visits focused on improving quality of life

The combination of caregiver knowledge and therapy-based insight makes the work especially impactful, creating opportunities to support clients more holistically.

The Impact on Caregivers, Clients, and Communities

For Yes We Care clients, the partnership means access to supportive services that may enhance comfort, communication, independence, and daily functioning. For caregivers, it offers shared learning, new tools, and clinical insights that can strengthen the daily work they already perform with compassion and consistency.

For our students and professionals, the experience is equally transformative. Working in homes across Dominica offers a firsthand look at community health, cultural humility, resource adaptation, and the power of person-centered care. Dominica’s close-knit communities and natural beauty provide a backdrop for meaningful reflection and authentic connection.

     

Why Dominica? Why This Partnership?

Dominica is known for more than its lush rainforests and volcanic landscapes—it is known for its resilient people and strong sense of community. Partnering with a program that prioritizes dignity, respect, and home-based support allows Therapy Abroad participants to contribute to a system built on care rather than clinical walls.

This collaboration also embodies Therapy Abroad’s core values: sustainability, culturally grounded service, and mutual learning. Instead of “mission work,” this is a two-way exchange, strengthening long-term community systems while helping future clinicians grow in competence and compassion.

Looking Ahead

Therapy Abroad’s partnership with the Yes We Care Programme represents a sustainable model for strengthening home health care in Dominica and across the Caribbean. By working collaboratively with caregivers and community leaders, this global health initiative supports elderly and disabled individuals while fostering shared learning and culturally grounded therapeutic care.

As this partnership continues to grow, Therapy Abroad remains committed to expanding capacity-building efforts, supporting caregiver education, and enhancing quality of life through compassionate, home-based therapy services. Together with the Yes We Care Programme, we are building long-term community health systems—one home visit, one caregiver partnership, and one meaningful connection at a time.