In our new post-pandemic world, our relationships with our homes have taken on new meaning.
Many found that being confined within the same four walls during the lockdowns of recent years had a more claustrophobic than comforting effect. Others, meanwhile, found a solace within their homes during the pandemic, and a newfound sense of peace from the slower pace of life — even opting to remain working from home these days rather than returning to the office and the busy commutes that come with it.
The only other turning point that could ever shape our feelings about our homes quite so significantly as the pandemic did is the threat of one day leaving them. The realisation that either ourselves or our loved ones are no longer able to live at home independently is an incredibly difficult one, but also one that many people will unfortunately face in older age.
In these roles with the HSE, successful applicants will be working to support clients with any activities of daily living that they may struggle with.
For those facing that harsh reality, many can choose to buy themselves more time before entering a nursing home or other residential care setting thanks to Ireland’s amazing network of Health Care Support Assistants (HCSAs), formerly known as ‘home helps’.
HCSAs provide a vital role in their communities, enhancing the quality of life of older people living at home, and enabling them to stay within the comfort of their own homes longer than might otherwise be possible. HCSAs make a real difference not only to the clients they care for, but also their clients’ families and wider communities. They support people with any activities of daily living that they may struggle with, including essential personal care.
While the benefits of having a Health Care Support Assistant working for you or your loved one are obvious, there are also multiple reasons why the Home Support service can be hugely rewarding for the people employed within it.
Tralee man Tim Moynihan, who retrained to work in the health service, says nothing can beat the sense of fulfilment that he’s gained from his new career. “A wise man once said that you’re happy if someone does something for you, but you’re a lot happier if you do something for somebody else,” he explains. “The experience is very rewarding. There’s huge appreciation out there once you build up the trust of a client.”
The appreciation that Tim’s felt from his clients is a widespread sentiment within the Home Support service, according to HCSA Recruitment Co-ordinator Noreen Cremin.
“The service that Health Care Support Assistants provide to people in their own communities is hugely valued,” she explains. “I think now more than ever the general public and the health services itself really appreciate the service that Health Care Support Assistants can provide by enabling people to live at home, safely and for as long as is reasonably possible.”
The value of Health Care Support Assistants’ work is in no doubt, and the huge demand for their service speaks for itself as to the quality of care they provide. In July alone of this year, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare provided a whopping 284,000 hours of home support.
To continue providing their high quality service at home for those who need it, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare are currently undertaking a huge recruitment drive.
The HSE positions they have available range from full-time or part-time employment with contracts of up to 39 hours a week available. The roles are based in locations across Cork and Kerry, and all offer considerable perks.
Successful applicants will enjoy:
- Attractive rates of pay with a salary scale of €29,710 to €38,290
- Job security and access to a pension scheme
- Paid travel time and expenses
- Ongoing training and support, and the chance to develop your career within the HSE
If a role like this sounds like the right fit for you, or is something you are in any way interested in, Tim says you won’t regret taking the chance and going for it.
“[My career] is really gathering momentum now. I’m gaining so much confidence and experience each time I go to clients on my own,” he beams. “There’s a great team here too, and there was also quite a lot of shadowing at the start of my work with the HSE, so I never felt overwhelmed.”
To find out more about the positions available, head to the HSE website.
