Caring with a Difference

Bluebird Care Carer Named Dublin Carer of the Year at Age Action Tea Party

Angela Shearer from Kimmage Road West, Dublin 12 was named Bluebird Care’s “Dublin Carer of the Year” at the recent Age Action Tea Party in the Burlington Hotel.

“When you make a difference to the lives of people around you that’s a bonus. When you are publicly thanked for the pleasure, then that’s a badge of honour,” says Angela describing her Bluebird Care Carer award.

Last week Bluebird Care in conjunction with Age Action hosted Afternoon Tea in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin for 450 elderly people who came together for an afternoon of great music, food, company and also to honour a Bluebird Care, Carer.

Angela Shearer was chosen as the winner from the Dublin region because of her attention to detail, her power of observation, her concern when visiting clients, and her dedication not only to the customer but to the customers family also.

Willie Byrne, Director of Bluebird Care Dublin West and Dublin South said he was proud to have team members who personified the ethos of caring and giving.  “We are delighted to honour Angela’s dedication and commitment, a very deserving recipient of this award. She is truly an asset to the Bluebird team and it is her great initiative and attention to detail that singles her out.”

Celebrating Age Action’s 20th Birthday, the team at Bluebird Care have lended their support to this campaign to help celebrate active ageing in Ireland. This is the first in a series of Tea Parties planned for across the country.

Angela will go forward as the Dublin representative to the overall Bluebird Care, Carer of the Year Awards, which will take place in December at the “Bring an Old Bag to Lunch” Tea Party, in association with Age Action, at the Burlington Hotel this December.

The entertainment provided was Sonny Knowles and Tony Kenny.  They performed some of their well-known hits and certainly rocked the main suite in the Burlington Hotel.

For more photos from the Age Action Tea Party log onto www.bluebirdcare.ie/blog  or find Bluebird Care on Facebook

Bluebird Care Kerry/West Cork would like to welcome Brandy Frizuki to Bluebird Care as our new Care Supervisor in the West Cork area.

Brandy is FETAC 5 qualified in care and has a FETAC 6 certificate in supervisory management. Brandy has over 5 years experience working in Care in the community and has worked as a carer with Bluebird Care for over a year. Brandy will primarily be responsible for staff supervisons and the continued implementation of our stringent policies and procedures as well as supporting Patricia O’Neill RGN in her role as Care Manager in areas such as Risk Assessments, Care reviews and Carer Appraisals. Brandy will also work with Care Co-ordinator Trish Kavanagh in relation to rostering and staffing issues.

Brandy is passionate about the delivery of a high standard of Care which is a key focus for Bluebird Care and we would like to wish Brandy the best of luck in her new role as Care Supervisor with Bluebird Care.

Bluebird Care Kerry/West Cork provides a flexible and professional care service, we work as a direct provider for Kerry and West Cork HSE and on a private basis and can be contacted on 066 710 4015 or email kerrywestcork@bluebirdcare.ie

Bluebird Care Kerry/West Cork would like to welcome Trish Kavanagh to Bluebird Care as our new Care Co-ordinator in the Kerry office.

Trish has a BA in Public Administration and an MA in Community Development.  Further education includes, Challenging Behaviour Training, child protection training and HSE Domestic Abuse training.  Trish has over 4 years experience working in Care in the community and has worked as a support worker with social services, community development worker with West Limerick CDP, a youth worker and has provided care in a private home care capacity. Trish will primarily be responsible for the co-ordination of staff, customer contact and maintaining high standards in the office through record keeping and the continued implementation of our stringent policies and procedures as well as supporting Patricia O’Neill RGN in her role as Care Manager.

Trish is passionate about the delivery of a high standard of Care which is a key focus for Bluebird Care and we would like to wish Trish the best of luck in her new role as Care Co-ordinator with Bluebird Care.

Bluebird Care Kerry/West Cork provides a flexible and professional care service, we work as a direct provider for Kerry and West Cork HSE and on a private basis and can be contacted on 066 710 4015 or email kerrywestcork@bluebirdcare.ie

Afternoon Tea Dance in association with Age Action in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin on Tuesday 8th May. Sponsored by Bluebird Care.

On Tuesday Bluebird Care in conjunction with Age Action will host Afternoon Tea in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin for 450 elderly people who will come together for an afternoon of great music, food, company and also to honour a Bluebird Carer.

Celebrating Age Action’s 20th Birthday, the team at Bluebird Care will lend our support to celebrate active ageing in Ireland. This is the first in a series of Tea Parties planned for across the country. So stay tuned for one near you soon. Unfortunately tickets for the Dublin Tea Party are all sold out.

The entertainment for the afternoon will be provided by everyone’s favorite – Sonny Knowles and Tony Kenny.  They will perform some of their well known hits, many of which you will be able to sing along to.  My Son, Any dream will do, Butterfly kisses from Tony and My child, When the Snow is on the Roses, and of course a wave from Sonny.

For more details on Age Action and the Tea Party log on here.

We will update news and photos from the event on our blog and of course share news of our Dublin Carer of the Year.

Vantastic Branded Vans Sponsored by Bluebird Care

We are delighted to announce details of our partnership with Dublin-based Charity Vantastic. They provide accessible door-to-door transport services for the elderly and the disabled.

The Vantastic service originated from the total lack of accessible transport in the early 1990s and the efforts made by the Centre for Independent Living Dublin to establish a transport division (called Vantastic) with the twin aims of providing an accessible transport service for people with disabilities and also to act as a policy lobby group on government.

And so in 2000 the charity was born. Coming on board to sponsor 12 of their Vantastic Vans, Bluebird Care recognises the importance of this charity.  We look forward to developing this partnership.

Log onto Vantastic.ie for more details of their services.

Pictured at the abseiling of Limerick’s Clarion Hotel on Saturday is Rhona O Connor Age Action; Lorna Liney Bluebird Care; Managing Director of Bluebird Care Ireland Brian MacGoey; Age Action’s Head of Advocacy and Communications Eamon Timmins; William Ring Bluebird Care and Charlotte Kelly Age Action

“Felt the fear and did it anyway for Age Action”

Over 90 people from across Munster endured a step over the edge as part of a 200ft abseil sponsored by Bluebird Care and organised by older people’s charity Age Action.

Stepping off Ireland’s tallest hotel  – the Clarion Hotel – in Limerick at the weekend (Saturday 28th April) were young and old, who braved the elements in the spirit giving for charity.

Some of those reaching dizzy heights for Age Action were members of Bluebird Care’s head office.  Climbing up and then stepping over the edge of the Clarion Hotel at Steamboat Quay were Brian MacGoey, Lorna Liney and William Ring.

With his feet firmly back on the ground Managing Director of Bluebird Care Ireland Brian MacGoey said, “in a show of support and in the spirit of this charity event, we came on board as sponsors with high hopes that it would raise a lot of money.  Our staff spend their days with eldery people who more often than not meet life head on.  So we felt strongly that we should take on a challenge on their behalf.

“This abseil actually personifies the strength of character of a generation of people in this country who live life to the full. Despite  our own greatest fears we took on the abeiling challenge and really just felt the fear and did it anyway,” says Brian.

Sisters Louise and Michelle Mulcahy from Limerick City did a tandem abseil and even dressed in phantom faceless costumes for the occasion helping to hide their nervous faces.

Age Action’s Head of Advocacy and Communications, Eamon Timmins says, “we teamed up with Bluebird Care to help us organise this event. And in doing so asked 11 other national and local charities to join us.  So the event has helped multiple good causes in the region. Government funding for Age Action has been cut, as is the case with many charitable organisations, so we are more heavily reliant on the commerical sector to come in behind us.  Bluebird Care will sponsor a number of other key events over the coming months which will allow us continue our work in older people’s services and advocacy.”

For more photos from the abseil event log onto www.bluebirdcare.ie

Care staff from the local Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford Bluebird Care office recently took part in a very interesting training and awareness day on Palliative Care and Multiple Sclerosis.

The Palliative Care training was given by Bernie Brophy from the local Carlow/Kilkenny HomeCare Team. Carers found the presentation very beneficial with everyone keen to learn more about this important area. The afternoon session was hosted by the MS Society with a detailed and interesting presentation on MS and some guidance on how to Care for people with MS.

Brian Egan Managing Director of the local Bluebird Care office said that there was great feedback from everyone about the training. This forms part of the varied Bluebird Care Carlow, Kilkenny and Waterford training programme. Aside from the mandatory Induction & Orientation workshop and Manual Handling and Patient Moving Training the local office has held training workshops in the following areas over the last year : Dementia & Alzheimer’s Care, Disability Awareness, Parkinson’s, Motor Neurones and now Palliative Care and Multiple Sclerosis.

On a national basis Bluebird Care are currently looking at rolling out new training initiatives for Carers throughout the country as training continues to provide a key focus for Bluebird Care as all offices continue to deliver a high standard of Care for people of all ages and needs in their own homes and in the community.

Bluebird Care are a leading Home Care provider with offices throughout Ireland providing Care on a private basis and as a preferred provider for the HSE. Flexible Care visits are provided from hourly care to 24/7 Live In Care with an individualised Care Plan completed for each client.

Bluebird Care are delighted to be sponsoring Age Actions charity abseil down Limerick’s Clarion Hotel on Saturday 28th of April. During the day the Age Action will try to break two Guinness World Records – for the oldest abseiler (currently held by a 97-year old in the US) and for the greatest number of people to abseil down a structure in one hour. Come on and register and you could hold a Guinness World Record!!

Check out the following for further details:
http://www.ageaction.ie/public-urged-support-charity-abseil-down-limerick%E2%80%99s-clarion-hotel

Bluebird Care Assistant Sandra Goonan from our Meath office, pictured with the Mayor of Navan Anton McCabe receiving her Major Award in FETAC Healthcare Support Certificate Level 5. We want to congratulate Sandra on her fantastic achievement where she developed a range of personal and interpersonal qualities necessary for working in caring industry. Sandra is continuing her studies into Childcare and we have no doubt that she will be celebrating another award soon!

Most of us will, at some point, find that we will have to look after our parents or loved ones when they reach their golden years, just as they looked after us in our early years. While some people would like to live out their days in a nursing home others would prefer to be looked after in the comfortable surroundings of their own home while it still remains possible to do so.

Caoimhin Armstrong who was born and raised in Athy is the Managing Director of Bluebird Care Kildare & Laois/Offaly a private Home Care company that provides highly qualified care staff to care for people in their own homes. The Bluebird Care operation dedicated to Kildare & Laois/Offaly has just commenced business and is up and running from its Portlaoise based office, with a satellite office in Naas. Bluebird Care is a preferred provider of Home Care for the HSE, VHI Home Care and a member of the Irish Home Care Association and a partner of Age Action Ireland.

“We are a provider of a wide range of Home Care services to people of all ages in their own homes. When any of us are faced with a situation where additional care is required for either ourselves, a loved one or a friend, it is often thought that the stark choice is either to live self sufficiently (without help) or go into a home. Bluebird Care offers people a realistic alternative by providing highly qualified, experienced, Garda vetted care givers to help out in their homes. This allows people to live comfortably at home with familiar friends, relatives and possessions around them, no upheaval, no stress” said Caoimhin. “We can provide Care Visits from as little as 15 minutes per day up to 24hours a day,” he added.

“The private Homecare sector is a relatively new sector in Ireland and as of yet has not been regulated. However our sister company in the UK is fully registered with the Commission for Social Care Inspection and the Care Quality Commission which is the UK Governments regulating body and our Company here in Ireland operates to the same exacting standards”, he explained. “To ensure this standard is upheld, all Bluebird Care offices must pass an annual audit to UK regulatory standards, this ensures peace of mind for our customers that they receive the highest level of care available in the market. “I have no doubt that regulation is coming and I welcome that. I think we will be well ahead of the rest as we are already working to the UK model and that is where most of our regulations derive from” Caoimhin added.

“The main difference between Bluebird Care and other service providers, apart from our flexibility, is that we are passionate about providing good service, on keeping comprehensive records of each care visit and providing the best possible Care Staff for our valued customers. We continually monitor and train our care staff making sure that they provide the exacting care standards that have been agreed with our customers. We also keep in constant contact with our customers to ensure they are completely happy with the services being provided,” said Caoimhin.

The cost of providing care for most people in their own home is tax deductible and can be claimed either by the person, their spouse, a relative or their legal guardian at the top rate (41%) up to the significant amount of €50,000 per year. This relief can be claimed monthly.

“People who have worked hard all their lives deserve to be looked after in the best possible way and we are finding that more and more people are opting to stay at home. We are delighted to be able to assist families and their loved ones to fulfill this goal.  We pride ourselves on providing excellent training and development for our Care staff.

Bluebird Care has also now appointed a Medical Director, the only home care company in Ireland to do so; Professor Stephen Lane, Consultant Respiratory and General Physician at Tallaght Hospital, Peamount Hospital and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Professor Lane maintains that a successful home discharge relates not only to medical issues;  “Critical to a successful discharge is a supportive environment of carers who can assist the patient in critical activities of daily living so allowing for a steady convalescence to independent living.  Unfortunately, in a modern displaced society, not everyone can call upon ready family support during this critical period.”  Professor Lane and Bluebird Care seek to address this critical vacuum of care in order to support an early successful discharge and so improve patient flow from hospital to the community.

Bluebird Care has 18 other locations throughout Ireland, each locally owned and employing highly qualified local people. “Our carers tend to build strong relationships with our customers, this is key to the strength of our service. They are all fully qualified and supported by our dedicated management team comprising of a Care Manager who is a qualified Nurse, a Coordinator to ensure logistics run smoothly, a dedicated Business manager and support from Nursing professionals in head office.

All of our carers undergo an excellent training programme, from Induction to “shadowing” (training alongside an experienced carer) and periodic training courses in such modules as Disability Awareness, Acquired Brain Injury, Intellectual Difficulties, Dementia & Alzheimer’s workshops and many more being rolled out on a continuous basis. We are delighted to be creating good paying jobs in the Midlands, the service we provide depends on local knowledge and local carers to build strong relationships with our customers, and therefore it is essential that we employ local people. “

For further information contact Caoimhin Armstrong on (087) 666 5552; Email: carmstrong@bluebirdcare.ie ; Web: www.bluebirdcare.ie