Caregiving: a day in the life of Longford's Linda Carrig

Now in her third year with the Home Instead team, caregiver Linda Carrig from Longford looks forward to greeting her clients each morning with an infectious smile and the enthusiasm she possesses for her job.

A native of the town, Linda walks to all her clients' homes and quite often, her first call in the morning will also be her last in the evening. Her duties differ per each client’s individual needs, but Linda always ensures there’s enough time for a cup of tea and a chat.

“I’d have known some of my clients before we started together, but not them all. Some of them would know some of my family, so they kind of know where you come from and all that. And they like the bit of familiarity that comes with that,” explained Linda.

“I’d have a great laugh with nearly all of my clients throughout the day, especially those who live on their own. I have two clients in particular that live on their own, and they really look forward to you coming down each day.”

For Linda, her day usually starts with her first call at 9 o’clock in the morning.

“A typical day for me would start at 9am, and my first client would already have the door open and waiting for you. They do be delighted to see you coming in!

“You’ll go in and get them their breakfast and any others needs they may have. Then you’d go back and give them their dinner in the afternoon, and finally again for their night tea. Some of them might go to bed for you, others won’t - it often depends on their mood or how the day’s gone.

“The last client I have each day is about seven o’clock in the evening. We sit down and have a cup of tea and a chat about how the day went for him, and then I’ll double-check if there’s anything else I can do before I go home.”

Having previously worked in a nursing home for two years, Linda decided three years ago that the time was right and she wanted to get back into the community through a different type of healthcare.

“Back about 15 years ago I worked in a nursing home for two years. I left it because I wanted to go on and do childcare. As it turned out, childcare didn’t really suit and I found it hard to get a job, so about three years ago I decided to go back and do Healthcare Support and to work out in the community as a different type of healthcare.

“When I saw that Home Instead was advertising for caregivers, I said I’d give it a chance and see how I got on with it - and I have to say, I absolutely love getting up in the mornings to go see my clients.

“It gives me a great boost in the mornings to get up, get going, and make my way to my clients each morning,” she said.
For Linda, the social interactions and the relationships she builds with her clients is equally as important as her other duties.

“I’m not just saying this, but we have a fantastic relationship with the clients,” stated Linda.

“We go in and we have a good chat during the day. From the minute they see you walking in, their eyes light up.

“In some cases, I might be the only person they’ll see on a particular day. I could be the first person they see in the morning and then the last person they see before bed.”

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone, but Linda maintains it has been particularly tough on the older generation.

“Covid-19 has impacted so much on our day-to-day lives, not just as carers but for our clients too. I know the clients have phonecalls with their families, but it’s not the same thing. The restrictions have been so hard for them.

“They need someone to be able to have a chat and a laugh with - take the weight off - instead of all the doom and gloom of the goings on in the world. For many, that’s where we come in. And that’s why I really do love my job and find it so rewarding,” finished Linda.