An Taoiseach Micheál Martin with Home Instead’s Chief Operating Officer Shane Jennings and Caregiver Ger Baldrick as Home Instead announced 1,000 new carer jobs in Ireland. Photo: Robbie Reynolds

Caregiving jobs announced

100 jobs were announced for Cork this week by a home care provider as part of a plan to recruit 1,000 caregivers across the country.

Home Instead announced the new jobs on Monday for caregivers who deliver a range of relationship-based non-medical care services to older people.

Home Instead delivers home care to almost 7,000 clients across every county in Ireland and has been building its caregiving team over the past 12 months, with 1,000 new roles also announced in 2020.

Commenting on the announcement, Tanya Morrissey, General Manager of Home Instead in Cork North said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital support that caregivers provide to their clients and the link they provided to the outside world to those they were caring for.

“We’re tremendously proud of our caregiving team, and the work that they do to keep older people safe and well. We know that where possible older people want to continue living independent lives in their own homes and in their own communities.”

Home Instead operates two offices in Cork and the new jobs will be based right across the county.

Deirdre Murray, Managing Director of Home Instead in Cork South added: “In the years ahead, Ireland, like so many countries, will face the challenge of an ageing population. Homecare can play an increasingly important role in providing care to our oldest and most vulnerable citizens.

“For the vast majority of older people, ageing at home has better health outcomes, is less expensive than institutional care, and can help prevent unnecessary or premature admission to long-term residential care.”

Chief Operating Officer of Home Instead, Shane Jennings added: “The number of people over the age of 65 in Ireland is expected to reach 1.4 million by 2040, with even greater growth expected in the population aged 80 and over. This change has the potential for the biggest impact on health services overall.”

He added: “As life expectancy increases in Ireland, so too does the need for quality home care – and quality home carers, the new jobs we are creating will help us to build our caregiving workforce of the future, and is also testament to the hard work of our caregivers and team in our two Cork offices and our 25 offices around the country.

“We’re inviting applications from people with an interest in care, to join us in helping older people live independent lives in their own homes. The work is local, the jobs are sustainable and there are opportunities available in rural and urban areas around the country,” he concluded.