MAHE, Manipal Foundation and KITES Senior Care partner to build India's future geriatric care workforce

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In a significant step towards strengthening India's healthcare workforce for an ageing population, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), the Manipal Foundation and KITES Senior Care, the geriatric care specialist brand of Lifebridge Group, have launched a pioneering industry-academia partnership through the inauguration of the Certificate Course in Geriatric and Palliative Care for Caregivers under MAHE's Multi Skilled Worker (MSW) Programme.

The programme was inaugurated at Manipal College of Nursing, MAHE, in the presence of senior academic and healthcare leaders. 

Marking an important milestone, the first cohort of 20 caregiver trainees formally commenced the programme. These students represent the beginning of a new generation of professionally trained caregivers who will combine compassionate care with structured clinical skills to meet the growing needs of India's ageing population.

Designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world clinical practice, the programme combines five weeks of classroom education at MAHE with seven weeks of structured internship at KITES Senior Care centres.

Students will receive supervised practical training in geriatric and palliative care before being assessed and certified by MAHE, creating a strong pathway to employment in one of healthcare's fastest-growing sectors.

The initiative addresses India's growing need for skilled caregivers by creating a professional, employment-oriented pathway that integrates academic excellence with experiential learning.

Looking ahead, the partners envision scaling this programme across multiple cities in India through similar industry-academia collaborations.