Socáir, a new service recently launched in Galway, will enable older people to live in their own homes by providing 24 hour, long-term, live in, practical, and cost effective non-medical care.
Set up by Mike McGrath, Socáir reflects international trends and the growing independence of older people who wish to continue to live in their own homes and communities and the initiative coincides with the Government’s commitment to support older people in their own homes.
Studies have shown that 95 per cent of those aged 70 and older would prefer to live in their own home, rather than go into residential care. In addition, studies point to the health benefits of allowing the elderly to stay in their own surroundings.
According to Mike McGrath, “Scientific evidence shows that many risks, such as infection from MRSA, are eliminated or minimised when care is provided in the home and policy makers in Ireland understand that it also makes financial and social sense to enable older people who wish to do so, to remain living in their own home”.
Mike’s passion to make a difference in the field of ageing stems from his own personal experience when he required somebody to care for his own mother and found it very difficult to find a quality caregiver.
“My mother suffers from MS, and didn’t want to go into residential care. I found it very difficult to find a competent and comprehensive home care service in Ireland. This experience enabled me to identify what was lacking in existing home care options and prompted me to pursue a home care service with real alternatives for today’s world.
“A big advantage of live-in care is that you have the same caregiver stay with you on an ongoing basis and so you benefit from a continuity of companionship, routine and care. All of our caregivers undergo comprehensive recruitment and interview procedures to ensure that we employ only the best. All are qualified to FETAC level 5 or equivalent. We carry out constant staff reviews and we employ our own qualified training manager to ensure that all of our caregivers remain up-to-date” says Mike.
In addition, Socáir can assist with any entitlements that may be available including help in claiming tax relief up to a maximum of €50,000. They also offer all clients a free ‘In-Home Safety Check’ from a qualified professional as part of their commitment to quality. To find out more, telephone 091 589092 or see www.socair.ie
