AS part of our series to mark 25 years of the Ardmonagh Family and Support Group our final spotlight shines a light on their crucial and vital domiciliary care service, which, as Service Manager Grace Connolly explained, is one of their most sought after.
Delivered to children from 0-18 and adults up to 65, the care service is offered to those with complex medical needs with its core staff trained in tracheostomy care, oxygen management, feeding and bathing.
“Our service enables those children and young people with complex needs to go to school with a one-to-one support worker, it enables the parents to have respite, go to work and we offer an after schools service here at Ardmonagh as well, again one-to-one where we utilise the rooms,” she said.
“Our service is very much about the service user getting the most out of their day, their life. We see parents getting great satisfaction knowing that their young children are able to go off to school with the assistance of our support staff who will stay for lessons, feed the child, take them to the toilet, it’s that sense of reassurance for the parent.”
Grace explained how the service is accessed by 38 users, and that it is city wide.
“We have had fantastic feedback for the service from our families, health professionals. I remember one report saying that we are a ‘very professional with a super friendly touch’ which really sums us up.”
Grace continued: “Our role doesn’t just finish at 5pm or when you go home. Myself or the staff would be on call, you would never leave a service user without a call to make sure everything is in place, it’s a real vocation to be part of the care team. The responsibility today is huge, it has got greater but we would encourage families to see how much job satisfaction we get first hand. We are very much about delivering a first class service.”
