INRLGII Expands Caregiver Training Program

The National Rehabilitation Institute Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra (INRLGII) graduated its second cohort of caregivers trained to support people with disabilities, part of a free program designed to professionalize home care in Mexico. With 26 new graduates, the initiative has now trained 48 participants since it launched in 2024.

“The care burden falls mostly on women and is often invisible and unpaid. This program seeks to recognize and dignify that work,” says Carlos Pineda, Director General, INRLGII.

According to the National Survey for the Care System (ENASIC), 5.6 million people in Mexico live with some degree of disability or dependency. Of those, 61.5 % receive care primarily from family members, underscoring the demand for formal training. The program provides specialized tools to help caregivers support rehabilitation processes while safeguarding their own physical and emotional health.

The most recent graduating class completed a workshop structured in five modules, covering communication, activities of daily living, integral care including first aid and medication management, therapeutic support, and self-care for caregivers. The course was delivered in accessible language by specialists in rehabilitation, psychology, nutrition, and physiotherapy. It is open to family members regardless of academic background.

Program leaders said the initiative responds to Mexico’s aging population and the increasing likelihood that more families will need caregivers. “Given the rise in life expectancy, all of us could need a caregiver at some point,” says Pineda. “We are committed to specialized, free and inclusive services. This initiative is a concrete step toward a social transformation in health.”

Participants report benefits not only for their relatives but also for their own capacity to handle daily challenges. Officials say that the program aims to reduce the physical and emotional strain on caregivers, while ensuring people with disabilities receive adequate support at home. Lydia Estela Zerón Gutiérrez, Director of Education in Health, INRLGII, says that the training empowers families and contributes to improved quality of life.

Following the success of its first two editions, the INRLGII is preparing a third course to expand the program’s reach and consolidate a network of trained, resilient caregivers across the country.