Care & Repair: Free DIY jobs for Older People

2021 was a very busy year for Age Action's Care and Repair programme. 

Care and Repair provides free DIY home repairs to older people to help them maintain their homes and independence. During COVID, the programme helped ensure that older people in Ireland had safe environments. For example, while COVID cases rose in nursing homes and long-term residential facilities, the Care and Repair service allowed older people to remain at home in safety and comfort, avoiding potential moves to nursing homes. We also expanded the programme to prioritise older people who have recently been, or are currently being discharged from hospital to ensure they have appropriately safe homes to return to. This means that older people have shorter stays in the hospital, freeing up beds for additional patients and reducing risk of COVID transmission among older people! Altogether, the programme has proved to be a useful resource throughout COVID and beyond. 

In 2021, we served over 1,300 older people through the Care and Repair programme. This includes over 360 clients, 103 of whom got support in their hospital discharge. It also includes over 900 trades referrals to trusted tradespeople who our clients can work with to tackle bigger projects like plumbing or electrical fixes. 

For clients being discharged from hospital, survey results show that:

• 88% service enabled them to be discharged sooner.
• 100% service helped them to remain living in their own home after discharge
• 100% say service met needs
• 100% service carried out in timely manner
• 100% work completed to satisfaction
• 100% work made patients home safer or more comfortable
• 100% rated service 5 out of 5
• 100% reported that they did not have any problems with service

We surveyed health professionals as well, and found that:

• 100% say service enabled patient to be discharged sooner
• 100% say service met patient’s needs
• 100% service carried out in timely manner
• 100% work completed to patient’s satisfaction
• 100% work made patient’s home safer or more comfortable
• 100% service helped patient to remain living in their own home after discharge
• 100% rated service 5 out of 5
• 100% reported that patient did not have any problems with service

Overall, we are very proud of our impact this past year and look forward to continued expansion in 2022! 

Thank you so much for your support of the Care and Repair service. 

If you know anyone who could benefit from Care and Repair, please call (01) 475 6989 or visit https://www.ageaction.ie/how-we-can-help/care-and-repair