Pioneer HomeCare recognised in healthcare and nursing sector
The Irish-owned and run company was awarded for its commitment to extending its family ethos across the entire workforce
Pioneer HomeCare was the proud recipient of the Silver award in the category of Family Healthcare & Nursing Business of the Year at this year’s Family Business Awards.
The achievement by the Irish family-owned and run company, was a recognition of the company’s commitment to making sure its family ethos is something that extends across the entire workforce.
Louise Whelan, managing director at Pioneer HomeCare, spoke about the importance of putting people at the heart of everything that Pioneer HomeCare does.
She said: “The company’s mission statement focuses on the provision of a high-quality personalised home care service to its clients and their families, delivered in a compassionate and respectful manner, thereby enhancing the client’s quality of life in their own home.
She added: “We also have a paramount duty of care to all members of the team and are committed to ensuring their wellbeing, dignity and job satisfaction.”
Fact Box
Number of employees: 500
Date founded: 2016
Why it’s in the news: Winners of the Silver award for Family Healthcare & Nursing Business of the Year at the Family Business awards 2023.
Pioneer HomeCare launched seven years ago and provides a wide range of services to people of all ages and abilities, allowing them to continue living independently, and happily, in their own homes.
As a Health Service Executive-preferred provider of homecare, Pioneer Homecare is an active member of Home and Community Care Ireland (HCCI), the national membership organisation for managed homecare services in Ireland, which represents over 10,000 staff and 20,000 clients nationwide.
The company has an established reputation – having previously been shortlisted for the Irish Healthcare Centre Awards and been accredited by the All-Ireland Business Foundation in recognition of the company’s conduct in the areas of trust, performance and customer centricity – and is also a sister company of Pioneer Fire & Security, a nationwide provider of security and life systems, working in this field for the last 40 years.
Homecare is a rapidly expanding sector in Ireland, with sociological factors, such as increased lifespans, and shifting preferences from more traditional routes like nursing homes and family care, giving rise to a huge demand for the service.
By 2030 it’s estimated that 17.6 percent of the population will be aged over 65, making Homecare an essential part of the infrastructure which can significantly benefit our elders.
There has been an increasing move towards enabling people to stay in their homes for as long as possible
“There has been an increasing move towards enabling people to stay in their homes for as long as possible, and over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, homecare fared particularly well, with consistently low rates of infection when compared to the Nursing Home sector and general population,” revealed Whelan, who has herself previously been awarded the Homecare Personality of the Year in tribute to the contribution that she has made to the homecare field.
She added: “Where assistance is provided by a professional, well-trained caregiver, it can facilitate a client’s ongoing independence and support them to live fulfilling lives in their home environment and continue to be active members within their communities.”
Whelan also highlighted that a professional homecare service can benefit the wider family circle.
She said: “Homecare gives families the chance to have some much-needed respite. They are safe in the knowledge that they can take a break and a well-qualified professional healthcare assistant will be there to support their loved ones.”
The role can be a difficult one, where the carer also needs to be cared for. Whelan explained:
“As a carer, you can be looking after somebody up to three times a day, five days a week so you build up very intense relationships with these people and they become a huge part of your life. This isn’t easy and we recognise the emotional toll that the job takes on our staff.”
Hands-on guidance
Pioneer HomeCare supports staff in a very direct way through training and hands-on guidance. “We have also created a wellness space in our office that is solely for the carers to relax and take time out between clients,” added Whelan.
Looking to the future, the vision for Pioneer HomeCare is steadfast: To continue to serve the community each and every day with patience, empathy and a personalised approach while maintaining their ethos of placing people at the centre of all that they do.
“We were the first homecare company to have a fully electric fleet, indeed one of the first in a commercial capacity in any industry,” said Whelan. “That speaks to where the company’s heart is. The tagline on our electric vehicles is ‘Already looking after the next generation’. We are proud to practice what we preach.”
