Category: Caregiver Advice

Advice for Older People, Caregiver Advice, General

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2022

5 tips on finding the right homecare provider

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2022

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), a day that was proclaimed in 1992 by the United Nations General Assembly resolution. The team at Myhomecare recognise this as a very important day and how people with disabilities deserve to have their dignity, rights and general well-being met. Servisource are equal opportunities employers and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We recognise that a diverse and inclusive workplace will better our relationships and services with our clients, our candidates, our communities and one another. We want you to Be You, Be Kind, and Be Proud.

The theme this year is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world”, which aims to bring awareness towards disabilities of all kinds and to promote an understanding of the issues surrounding disability.

Disability can be defined as a mental health, sensory, intellectual or physical condition that restricts a person’s activities, senses or movements. It is important to recognise the unique challenges people living with a disability face on a daily basis.

This year’s theme is based around 3 different topics:

  • Innovation for disability inclusive development in employment:  Linkages between employment, knowledge and skills required to access employment in an innovative, rapidly changing technological landscape to all.
  • Innovation for disability inclusive development in reducing inequality: Innovations, practical tools and good practices to reduce inequalities in both public and private sectors, which are disability inclusive and interested in promoting diversity in the workplace. 
  • Innovation for disability inclusive development: A sector where all of these aspects coalesce; sport as a good practice example and a site of innovation, employment and equity. 

Challenges People with Disabilities Face

Recognising and becoming aware of the challenges facing people with disabilities is the first step in creating an equal society that can cater to their needs in both a work and home environment. These challenges can be social, educational and economic. Let’s have a look at these in more detail.

  • Social Challenges

Social isolation is a huge factor and one of the most severe challenges facing people with disabilities today. Community engagement can be difficult for people with mental impairments which is then exacerbated in rural areas where access to group activities isn’t so accessible. This is why community activities should be in an environment that suits everybody and are as accessible as can be.

  • Educational Challenges

Students or teachers may be faced with a lack of access such as ramps or elevators within an educational setting. Some institutions may not have adequate funding for special needs support and so they struggle with keeping up with their peers. At Myhomecare we provide premium community care services to children with both special needs and special care requirements throughout Ireland which you can see on our brochure.

  • Economic Challenges

People with disabilities also report being paid less than their colleagues despite having similar qualifications. Businesses are encouraged to hire people with disabilities and with matching them to jobs that suit their skill sets. They should have the same opportunities as co-workers and be treated equally within any workforce. At Servisource, we make sure everyone is included and that awareness around disability and inclusivity is spread throughout the company. This means awareness talks are arranged by experts and guest speakers that employees can take part in.

Did You Know?

  • Around 15% of the worlds population live with disabilities
  • An Estimated 286 million of the worlds working-age people have some kind of disability
  • People with disabilities are the world’s largest minority

How Myhomecare Caters to Your Needs and Disabilities

At Myhomecare, tailor-made homecare services are available which enables clients to be looked after in the best possible way that suits their needs because we know that disabilities come in all shapes and forms. We also work with medical practitioners and suppliers to provide a wide range of supportive solutions such as:

  • Home Adaptations
  • Essential Medical Supplies
  • Partnership with your Primary Care Team

Allowing clients to be as independent as possible is what Myhomecare deems extremely important and they want to make life as easy as possible for each individual. Our homecare services include Domestic Home Help, Paediatric Care as well as Palliative Care. You can find out more about our care services here.

Myhomecare has a combined approach to care and technology whereby our caregivers and nurses promote the use of app technology with the following features to provide you or your loved one with the utmost of care. This is why they have partnered with the Isaac Care app, which caters to an array of disabilities. The app offers a range of free features including:

  • Appointment reminders
  • Medication reminders
  • Fall alarm
  • Vitals monitoring

You can find out more about the easy-to-use Isaac Care app and all of its assistive technology features here.

How to Access our Care

We want to make accessing healthcare as easy as possible so here is our 4-step guide

  • Free consultation to assess the nature and level of care needed.
  • Design a care plan to meet your individual requirements with the advice, care and support of the MDT.
  • Assign a homecare team to match your needs.
  • Our dedicated Homecare Nurse Manager will continuously monitor and review the service delivery to ensure you are entirely satisfied with the care provided.

You can contact us to find your local Myhomecare office and you or your loved one can begin their journey into care with our team.

Get in Touch

Our dedicated team are on hand to assist you in any way.
Contact us on +1 800 400 900 or email us info@myhomecare.ie and one of our team will be in touch.

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Career Advice, Caregiver Advice

Myhomecare Ready to Employ, Train and Support 1,000 New Home Care Workers

5 tips on finding the right homecare provider

Myhomecare Ready to Employ, Train and Support 1,000 New Home Care Workers

Myhomecare Welcomes Minister’s Announcement of 1,000 Non-EU Employment Permits for Home Care Workers

Myhomecare, a nationwide HSE approved supplier of specialised home care, welcomes the announcement of employment permits for 1,000 non-EU home care workers, from Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler. Myhomecare has positions available for all 1,000 new home care workers and is ready to not only employ, but train and support them in their career progression through its Care Academy.  

The Myhomecare Care Academy offers training, career progression support and guidance for aspiring carers, offering the opportunity for those with experience requiring QQI Level 5 accreditation in healthcare, courses to be subsidised. The Care Academy also focuses on improving the quality of new and existing staff by providing upskilling opportunities and allows those who want to advance their career in healthcare an advantageous starting point.

Deirdre Doyle, Myhomecare Operations Lead said:

Making 1,000 Employment Permits available to non-EU home care workers is an exciting development and we are delighted to announce we have the capacity to assist all 1,000 with employment, training and career progression through our Care Academy.

She continued, “Myhomecare has a strong workforce and employing additional homecare workers will further strengthen our Winter Initiative which aims to assist the HSE in their focus on community care and supporting more efficient hospital discharges which in turn, increases hospital bed capacity.”

Speaking on the report of the strategic workforce advisory group on home carers and nursing home healthcare assistants, Minister Mary Butler referred to all care workers, working in home support and long-term residential care for older people, she said that they should receive fair pay and conditions and have the opportunity to progress in their careers.

Myhomecare meets these recommendations referred to by Minister Butler and is one of the highest paying employers within the homecare sector and champions career progression through the Myhomecare Care Academy. 

In response to Minister Butler, Myhomecare’s Deirdre Doyle said:

The Myhomecare Care Academy enables frontline staff to earn a competitive wage ranging from 14 euros to 25 euros an hour. The Academy also offers those same opportunities to those passionate about a career in care and the Myhomecare team will support them every step of the way. We understand how important it is to take care of our carers so they can take care of our clients.

There has always been a particular emphasis on upskilling and career progression within Myhomecare with exceptional ongoing training provided which is further supported by Servisource’s Training department. It is from this strong foundation that the Care Academy has been developed. 

For further information on any of the above, contact our team today!

Get in Touch

Our dedicated team are on hand to assist you in any way.

Contact Us

Myhomecare Care Academy

The Myhomecare Care Academy is the one-stop shop for aspiring Carers, offering training and career progression support and guidance. The Care Academy also offers the opportunity for those with experience requiring QQI Level 5 accreditation in healthcare courses to be subsidised.

Submit Your Interest

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Caregiver Advice, HSE Announcements

Professional Homecare Bill 2020

Professional Homecare Bill 2020

Myhomecare.ie have welcomed the recently announced Professional Home Care Bill 2020, amendments to the Health Act 2007. This new legislation is designed to provide regulation in the area of professional home care.

Amendments were introduced in the areas of assessment of needs & care planning, complaints procedures, standards of care, protection from abuse and training of personnel. Myhomecare are proud to have already demonstrated an understanding and focus in these areas.

These amendments regard the following general principles as they apply to adults:

· The principal of independent living

· The principal of privacy & dignity

· The principal of quality of care

· The principal of protection of the adult

Myhomecare.ie’s assessment of care needs have included companionship and advanced care planning as standard practice across all of our services for many years. We have also developed and introduced an extensive patient safety programme in 2019. Through this programme we continue to monitor and collect data in the areas of medication management, fall risks and infection control.

ISO9001 accreditation – Quality Management System

Myhomecare successfully maintained ISO9001 accreditation again for 2020 and continue year on year to strive for this very respected achievement. Our care standards are of the highest quality and our mission is to always put our clients and carers needs and feedback first. All of the business operations are audited externally every year to ensure that we are compliant with our quality management system. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, virtually zero paperwork was used which was another huge achievement for Myhomecare as the audit usually takes place onsite, with all policies, processes and documentation printed out in advance.

JCI Gold Seal accreditation

We have also secured the JCI Gold Seal accreditation for 2020. This reaffirms we are operating a quality service with a core focus on client safety and our dedication to clients and their families. With the JCI award, we are now one of an exclusive group of 24 homecare companies globally who have attained the required standard and the only one in Ireland in our sector.

We now work alongside the JCI team to sustain their standards while continuing to strive for improvement in delivery for all clients receiving care in line with the accreditation’s credo. Paula Wilson, President and CEO of JCI, commended Myhomecare for the dedication to improving services and praised the resilience of everyone involved for persevering during a global pandemic: “JCI commends Myhomecare for its efforts to become a quality improvement organisation and achieving international accreditation which highlights their commitment to patient safety“.

A safer, better homecare

Circumstances this year with the onset of Covid-19 has helped change our business model to a more online presence. Implementing the best technology solutions available and ensuring quality of service are fundamental to us as we try to emerge from the covid crisis even stronger than before.

Our Client Portal is accessible via our website myhomecare.ie and provides access to several different resources, which includes our feedback form. We also provide our clients with an Education Pack which has information on a range of different topics from Nutrition, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Fire Safety etc.

Our dedicated recruiters and compliance officer ensure that all our care personnel are up to date with necessary training requirements and we ensure this is possible with continuous support from our own Servisource Training division.

The Myhomecare team continue to lead the way in Ireland in delivering a superior quality service by ensuring our standards are in line with the new government regulations. Myhomecare utilise lean methodologies ensuring we are continuously improving our services. Our quality management system allows us to regularly review and maintain our policies and procedures, enabling us to work in unison to a high standard.

Homecare is not just confined to older people. It includes those who develop a chronic illness, those who have a physical or mental disability or those who are recovering at home after surgery or an illness. Myhomecare.ie deliver the highest quality of safe person centred care, meeting each service user’s individual needs using a holistic approach in accordance with the National Standards of Safer, Better Healthcare and Homecare.

Career Advice, Caregiver Advice

The Importance of Flexible Working for Carers

With a new generation of employees now hitting the workforce, the traditional way of running businesses has changed.

One example is with working hours. Flexible working was introduced as a way to encourage a healthy work-life balance.

Over the last few years, the number of people working in part-time employment has increased. As well as those returning from starting a family and the effects of the gig economy, it’s also due to those struggling to maintain a healthy balance between their work and personal lives.

For those working in care, a flexible working arrangement may mean staff taking less time off for carers leave.

In this piece, we’ll define flexible working and the rules surrounding it. We’ll also explore the importance of this type of work for carers.

What is flexible working?

It’s a work pattern adapted to suit both you and your employees. There are different types of flexible working arrangements, examples include:

  • Changing to part-time hours.
  • Changing working days.
  • Changing full-time working hours.
  • Working your normal weekly hours in fewer days (compressed hours).
  • Working from home part or fulltime (homeworking).
  • Retain two people for the same position on a part-time basis (job sharing).
  • Work usually rotating but specified hours (shift working).
  • Using technological advances to work from remote locations (teleworking).
  • Calculating working hours based on annually instead of weekly (annualised hours).

Unlike the United Kingdom, there’s no legal right to flexible working. However, since the introduction of the Code of Practice on Access to Part-time Work in 2006, it’s now become a best practice for employers have policies on improving access to part-time work.

Employees can make requests for flexible working. As an employer, you should have a procedure in place that allows for a discussion between yourself and the employee before making a decision. Remember to consider:

  • The employee’s personal needs.
  • The staffing needs for the company.
  • The implications to the business and their co-workers.

To avoid claims of discrimination, you must consider all request for flexible working fairly and in accordance with the employment equality legislation.

The importance of flexible working for carers

Accommodating flexible working requests can be a challenge especially for those in the care sector.

The work itself is one that can do with allowances for flexible working. It involves rotating working hours, usually long travel times and unsociable hours.

However, from the point of view of the employer, it may be tricky, as you’ll need to ensure there’s sufficient staff to cover at all times.

And there are benefits for employers and employees.

For employers

  • Boost employee morale.
  • Reduce absenteeism.
  • Reduce employee turnover.
  • Improve wellbeing.
  • Enhance company image as a family-friendly employer.
  • Increase productivity.

For employees

  • Better work/life balance to meet personal and family needs.
  • Less stress.
  • Increased job satisfaction.
  • Reduced expenses and time spent commuting.
  • More control over working hours and environment.

Final note Remember, while it may be a challenge to create a flexible working policy, the rewards are well worth it. As well as easing your staff’s work/life balance, you can also reduce business costs, improve output and ensure the loyalty of your staff.