Inspiring Carer Experiences: Sinead O’Neill

Inspiring Carer Experiences: Sinead O’Neill

Carer and Graduate from Class of 2019, Private HomeCare

In the last 12 months, I have transformed my work as a carer into a longterm career with Private HomeCare Training Centre.

I started out as a cleaner in a nursing home before becoming a carer. My daughter has diabetes type 1, so the long hours in the nursing home did n’t work for me or my family.

Private HomeCare could offer me flexible hours that suited my life,  so I applied to join them as a carer. Before I started, Patsy the Recruitment Manager, explained everything to me, about working as a carer and training.

I started doing my QQI courses in April 2018. I already had one module done. Now, I am only one module away from my Major Award (8 modules).

I graduated in March 2019 which was a great day for me and my family.

Training has transformed my career as now I know I have a future in caring. I have choices now to work in a hospital or hospice as well as homecare.

Everytime you do a course, you upskill yourself – for life

I thought I knew my job but you really upskill with QQI training. Maybe you know how to prepare food, but do you know how to give food ? You might be able to put on and take off gloves but are you doing it the correct and hygienic way ?  In the Communications module, I learnt about non-verbal communications (as well as verbal). Some of my clients cannot speak so that was really helpful. My confidence has grown as I have learnt more and more from each QQI module.

Suit You and Your Life

QQI courses are only one day a week for 4 weeks, that is what I love about it.  You choose when you want to do a course. They are run all year round so you pick and choose what you want to do and when you want to do it.

A lot of courses are 8 hours a day which would not work for me.

Super-friendly

Initially I was nervous as I don’t like classrooms but what I had in my mind was totally different to the reality.

Each class is small. The trainer is so nice. You can share your own experiences too so you are not just listening to one person all day. Everyone has a different background, that is how you pick up different things. I learnt so much from the other carers.

No Pressure with the Payment Plan

With Private HomeCare you don’t have to pay for courses as you go. You can pay weekly as a deduction from your pay so there is no pressure.

We hope you enjoyed reading Sinead’s story. Watch out for some more inspiring carer experiences on our website soon. Check out more articles from us here.