Personal Support Assistant/Rehabilitation Support Assistant

The role of personal support assistants is very different from the traditional role of the care worker. The primary focus here is to work with individuals who have an intellectual or sensory disability, or who may have an acquired brain injury caused by, for example, a stroke or a road traffic accident.

To support people with this type of disability, the personal support assistant can provide a supportive and enabling environment that encourages independent living within the community, allowing people to live their lives as fully as possible and supporting them in all kinds of activities; always, however, with safety and security in mind.

The role of the personal support assistant has many aspects and the work they do can vary from one individual to another. But their principal functions include:

Support with Physical Needs

• Co-operating with the person in facilitating care/ self-care and daily living requirements
• Supporting and assisting the individual in maintaining their own homes, clothing and other personal effects (general household duties)
• Developing an understanding of the person’s specific needs and aspirations, in order to enable them to communicate effectively their wishes and intentions
• Facilitating mobility within the individual’s own home and in the community
• Assisting with medication
• Helping with dietary requirements, such as meal preparation, eating and/or drinking, shopping and supplies management and assisting with healthy eating choices
• Assisting with all aspects of personal care and continence management

Support with Social, Leisure and Vocational Needs

• Escorting the person outside of their home as required, so as to promote community involvement
• Keeping appointments
• Attending college and supporting the person by taking and writing up notes
• Promoting the individual’s personal interests and hobbies, or developing new skills
• Accessing employment and possible voluntary work
• Assisting with the management of finances, to ensure household bills are paid

Bluebird Care is a nation wide service, we provide personal care  services throughout Ireland and its provinces Munster, Connacht, and Leinster and in counties such as Limerick, Cork, Tipperary, Sligo,  Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Wicklow, Donegal, Leitrim, Waterford, Kilkenny, Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Meath, Clare, and Dublin.