Enable Ireland Staff Provide Essential Supports to People with Disabilities During COVID-19

Like many frontline healthcare workers, Enable Ireland staff are continuing to support people with disabilities across Ireland during the COVID-19 epidemic. Dedicated Enable Ireland staff are providing essential residential, respite, community living and family support, in a way that is safe for all. Enable Ireland is a national charity which employs 1,200 staff and provides disability services to over 8,500 children and adult with disabilities in 15 counties.

“Where we can’t provide face to face support, our staff are finding creative and innovative ways to deliver clinical and therapy support for children and their families in key areas like physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. We’ve delivered therapy sessions via video and provided home support programmes over email or in some cases hand-delivered support packs to people’s homes.

In Adult services, staff have come up with creative ways of supporting people at home such as doing online tai chi, hair and makeup lessons, and music therapy groups. The ongoing contact and support are vital at a time when many people with disabilities are feeling very anxious and vulnerable to COVID-19. We are using technologies like Facebook groups and video conferencing to stay connected and provide supports.

Our staff are working in partnership with the HSE to provide more home support packages and offering longer respite breaks in line with service needs. We’ve had a great response from parents and adults who appreciate the support during this time when everyone is confined to home,” commented John O’Sullivan, Enable Ireland CEO.

Clinical and therapy staff including psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists have put together resource packs for families which the charity is making available to all parents via their website www.enableireland.ie/Resources4Parents.

As a result of COVID-19, Enable Ireland have had to postpone fundraising events and temporarily close their 21 charity shops. The charity is now facing a potential loss of €1.5million income in 2020. They are asking the public to donate online at www.enableireland.ie/donate and support vital disability services.