Coast Guard crew ensures carers reach their clients
MEMBERS of Greystones Coast Guard brought home carers to their clients throughout the worst of the snow days.
Dermot Macaulay of the Greystones unit said that they received a request from Bray Homecare, a non-profit organisation which provides care for people in their homes and whose clients need a range of services, including help with showers, getting out of bed and more.
The carers were blocked into their estates and couldn’t get out to reach their clients, some of which are based in Enniskerry and Kilmac, which being on higher ground had more extreme snowfall.
The Coast Guard’s two 4x4 jeeps were out on the road and would collect the carer from home, drop them to a client, then come back after the necessary amount of time (perhaps an hour or so) to bring them to the next client.
Mr Macaulay said that the work was time-consuming yet vital for those receiving care.
‘Fair play to the carers, they were fantastic,’ he said. ‘ They did amazing work under very difficult circumstances.’
‘ The carers themselves knew exactly what they needed to do and it was great to be able to help them out.’
Some of the people they went to had no water, and the Coast Guard crew brought water and supplies. Some clents would have been bedridden unless their carer came to move them out of bed and into their chair.
The Coast Guard carried out the work for four days, the worst of those being Friday.
‘We didn’t fail to get anywhere,’ said Mr Macaulay, who added that they covered all of Bray and the outlying areas, and also brought someone to work in St John of Gods, Shankill. There were long days and hard work for the crew, on the road and working out the logistics.
He added that the unit had no emergency call-outs. ‘ There were huge breakers over the piers and thankfully people did heed warnings here to stay away from the water.’