Comfort Keepers is a company offering a service to help the elderly live securely in their own homes. The idea was spawned by Bob and Austin Power as a consequence of the difficulties they themselves experienced when endeavouring to find quality home care for their father.

They opened their first office in Baggot Street last October and started providing home care before Christmas.

Fees are charged on a per-hour basis and the client or relatives may be entitled to claim income tax relief at 42% rate of tax. Basic service packages start at €18.50 per hour and with tax relief that can come at €11.00 per hour.

Bob and Austin come from a background of caring for the elderly, having managed and operated four nursing homes in the Mid-West region of Ireland for many years.

After their personal difficulties in finding homecare for their dad, they proceeded to research the situation and came across Comfort Keepers which has 500 offices in the United States. They were satisfied with the high standards and quality care offered by Comfort Keepers and felt such a service would benefit the Irish. In addition to Baggot Street they plan to open 10 other offices.

When I spoke to Bob he said that he and his brother are passionate about caring for the elderly and are proud of the high quality and standards they have implemented in the service they offer. Given the vulnerable situation a client could be in, the company must run six different rigorous background tests on every carer employee.

Some carers have VETAC or care assistance qualifications, whilst some may come from a background of caring for a relative and Comfort Keepers also provide their own additional training to ensure that high standards are sustained.

Sinead Johnson, the Group Operations and Training Manager, has 15 years experience in elderly and palliative care, both in the UK and here and was instrumental in the creation of the Baggot street office.

Quality of service is aided by a computer monitoring service which can, for example, alert the office if a caregiver is late, allowing for phone contact to be made with both carer and client, thus resolving the difficulty without undue alarm to the client. Extensive quality control is carried out in the home, both when the carer is there and with the client alone.

Should you require their services, Bob assures me that each case is assessed by Sinead, who looks at the environment, surroundings and individual needs of the client so that appropriate care is offered from their range of services which run under the headings of companionship, homemaking and personal care.

I asked if it would be possible to chat with a client but Bob and Austin decided it would be intrusive at this stage, as the company was running only two months.

At Christmas, Bob’s father expressed his contentment with the caregiver in his life, stating that he could not imagine how he could manage without her. She comes to provide breakfast and dinner and do light housekeeping. Bob emphasises that the companionship aspect is also important and Comfort Keepers endeavour to employ caregivers who might come from the community and can share local news with the client.

If you require any further information call 1850 818 100 or email dublin@comfortkeepers.ie, website: www.comfortkeepers.ie.

Pictured above, from left: Austin Power, Noreen O’Callaghan and Bob Power.