PHILIPSBURG:--- The White & Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF) has released a new promotional video showcasing its Psychogeriatric Daycare, designed to support elderly individuals living with Alzheimer's or dementia and their caregivers.
The video, which can be viewed on the WYCCF Facebook page and website, features a glimpse into the daily routine of the Psychogeriatric Daycare, where the clients arrive at 8 AM and are picked up again at 5 PM on weekdays. The daycare provides a safe and welcoming environment to socialize, engage in therapeutic activities, and receive specialized care. The program is designed to meet the unique needs of individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer's. It aims to improve their quality of life by promoting social interaction, physical activity, and mental stimulation. As the clients spend a considerable amount of time in the daycare, the WYCCF really strives to make the facility feel like a 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞.

Alzheimer's disease and dementia are challenging diseases to cope with. One can slowly lose certain abilities, which may result in losing the independence one had their whole adult life. This gradually makes one more and more dependent on the care of others, which can be very difficult to accept. In most cases, the family members take on the care. And what may begin with light help can end up becoming a full-time job. This gradually increasing workload often proves very hard for family members to keep up with. The caregiver might still have a job, and other responsibilities and, on top of that, may not be trained to provide this type and amount of care. The Psychogeriatric Daycare of the WYCCF can help a lot in this situation.
As part of the Psychogeriatric Daycare program, the WYCCF also offers an Alzheimer's support group session every two months for caregivers of individuals with dementia or Alzheimer's. The last session was held last Saturday and was again very well attended. These meetings provide a safe and supportive space for caregivers to share their experiences, receive practical advice, and connect with others who are going through similar challenges.
"We are excited to launch this video and showcase our team's incredible work in providing care for individuals living with dementia or Alzheimer's," said the Operations Manager of the WYCCF, Bregje Boetekees. "What we see as quality care is not only the care directly to the client but also including support and information for the client's family and caregivers to improve the quality of care when the clients are not with us. By educating and informing the general public, we aim to raise awareness and reduce stigma around topics such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia. This new promotional video, as well as the Alzheimer's support group meetings, are excellent examples of what we mean by quality care. We understand the challenges faced by both the seniors and their caregivers, and we are committed to providing the highest quality of care and support to help them through this difficult time.”
The Psychogeriatric Daycare program is located at the St. Martin's Home, at St. John's Estate Road #6, Cul-de-Sac. To learn more about the daycare, and the Alzheimer's support group sessions, one can contact the daycare unit leader at +1 (721) 553 5052 or the social worker at +1 (721) 588 1460. For more information about the WYCCF (and to view the video), please visit the website www.wyccf.org, Facebook page: whiteyellowcrosscarefoundation or Instagram: wyccfsxm or call +1 (721) 548 4431.

PHILIPSBURG:---The House of Parliament will sit in a public meeting on March 22, 2023.

The Public meeting, which was scheduled to begin on March 21, 2023, could not take place due technical difficulties, has been rescheduled for Wednesday at 9.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Council of Ministers will be in attendance.

The agenda points are:
1. Incoming documents

2. Ontwerplandsverordening tot vaststelling van de Begroting van het Land Sint Maarten voor het dienstjaar 2023 (Landsverordening begroting 2023) (Zittingsjaar 2022-2023-166)(IS/535/2022-2023 d.d. 6 maart 2023)
(Draft National Ordinance stipulating the Budget for Country Sint Maarten for the service year 2023 (National Ordinance Budget 2023) (Parliamentary Year 2022-2023-166)) (IS/535/2022-2023 dated March 6, 2023)
3. Ratification of the decision list of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO) held from February 28 – March 3, 2023, in Willemstad, Curacao (IS/543/2022-2023 dated March 9, 2023)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.
All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.
The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.
The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx, and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Public meeting no. 16 with as agenda points:
1. Incoming documents

2. Ontwerplandsverordening tot vaststelling van de Begroting van het land Sint Maarten voor het dienstjaar 2023 (Landsverordening begroting 2023) (Zittingsjaar 2022-2023-166)(IS/535/2022-2023 d.d. 6 maart 2023)
(Draft National Ordinance stipulating the Budget for Country Sint Maarten for the service year 2023 (National Ordinance Budget 2023) (Parliamentary Year 2022-2023-166)) (IS/535/2022-2023 dated March 6, 2023)

3. Ratification of the decision list of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO) held from February 28 – March 3, 2023, in Willemstad, Curaçao (IS/543/2022-2023 dated March 9, 2023)

scheduled for today, March 21, 2023, at 14.00 hrs. has been postponed for Wednesday, March 22, 2023, for 9.00 hrs. due to technical issues.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten National Heritage Foundation & Museum in collaboration with the Funtopia Youth initiative foundation presents Cultural Saturdays which kicked off March 18th in the arcade in Infront of the museum located on Front Street 7 in the alley of Coffee Lounge. Saturday, March 25th will be the next installation of this initiative. The General public ages 7 to 27 are welcome to participate. The museum opens at 10:00 am persons can experience a tour of the Museum which has a lot of historical and cultural artifacts.
From 11:00 am members of the F.Y.I. The foundation will be present to give a brief history of stilt walking and the afro Caribbean connection in addition to safety tips and warm-up exercises given before participants can attempt to walk. Interested persons can register in advance or arrive at 10:00 am to secure their spot. “We hope to continue this initiative in the coming months to bring more awareness to both foundations,” says the President of the Funtopia Youth initiative Foundation Lucinda Audain. For more information email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..