CSR is high on the agenda at Homecare Independent Living
How a leading care company promotes Social Responsibility within its work.
In just sixteen years, Mairead and Gerald Mackle have created a company that is award-winning, successful and working at the very heart of the community.
Yet the secret of their unique success is the fact that every one of their 1,150 staff are part of a family where the service they provide to their clients is the same as they would give to their own child, mother or grandfather.
Homecare Independent Living is without question the market leading private Community Health and Social Care provider in Ireland and one of the secrets of its success is a dedication to corporate social responsibility.
Managing Director Mairead Mackle is clear that quality, innovation and investment in people are at the core of her business operation and the company takes genuine pride in the continuing development of specialist care teams who provide a range of services to the elderly, disabled and vulnerable in the community within the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
“Our mission statement is to contribute to the development of a caring society by promoting Client independence and having a positive impact on the lives of the people we care for, ” she explains.
“Excellence and quality drives every aspect of our work and that is demonstrated in the fact that we have a dedicated quality department, which audits and monitors all internal practices ensuring adherence to national standards. These standards are also verified through independent inspection by commissioning bodies, HSE, Supporting People and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).
“Our people are our business and every day of our working lives we use the power of our people to create a better world. This links to our iCare values of integrity, commitment, accountability, respect and enthusiasm.”
“At Homecare we are focused on responsible business practice as well as being socially responsible. That means we use the scarce resources available to provide the best care. Our added value is ensuring our team are providing the best possible care and are fully equipped to do the best job possible.”
iCare Company Charity: Using the power of business to create a better world
Homecare Independent Living established iCare, a committee set up within the company to drive Social Responsibility throughout every aspect of the business. Its mission is to enhance the dignity and improve the quality of life for the people, families and communities in which we operate.
The charity allows our staff to connect to our local communities in a number of real and positive ways from volunteering or using their skills for the benefit of others.
In December 2010, we launched Santa’s Gatelodge and through a combined effort of Homecare staff, local community and local school volunteers, successfully raised £5,000 for the NSPCC and other local charities. In August 2011, we organised a Fun Day in partnership with Milford Community Development Association, raising £3,000 which went towards the redevelopment of the local community centre.
In its second year, the Santa’s Gatelodge project more than doubled its income raising £12,000 for various charities. Santa’s visit from the 1-16 December, saw several thousand adults and children from all parts of the North and South of Ireland visit Milford’s Gatelodge.
Every penny raised from the venture was split between various charities. The NSPCC and the Sophia Fund have both received £5,000. The Sophia Fund was set up in aid of the children’s scanner appeal and neo-natal intensive care unit in the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children. Sophia Grew was born in July with meningitis. She became critically ill and was admitted to neo-natal intensive care. Against the odds, she pulled through and is continuing to do well. Her parents, Jim and Janet Grew, set up the Sophia Fund to raise money towards the MRI children’s scanner and the neo-natal intensive care.
Other charities which received money were RAFT (Restorative Action Following the Troubles); SCOPE UK (children with Cerebral Palsy); Meningitis Research Fund; OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) and the Mandeville Unit Talking Newspaper, Riding for the Disabled, St Vincent de Paul and other local community charities.
Befriending Service
In January 2012 we took our CSR commitment to a new level and launched an innovative befriending project with staff and volunteers. Through this project we are committed to having a positive impact by combating poverty and social isolation and also working together to fight against inequality.
It is aimed specifically at older people who live alone, have limited family support, perhaps have limited mobility. Some may have been recently bereaved and others may have limited social and community contact and support
Our aims are very simple but profoundly necessary. We want to reduce the loneliness and isolation of older people. That means having staff visiting between one and three hours per week to have a chat, help them get active by possibly going for a walk, share a hobby or interest in the community or perhaps to join in with local community groups.
Our volunteers will encourage and facilitate older people to become more integrated into their community by joining a hobby or interest which they have enjoyed in the past. This could include a broad range of health improvement programmes such as a visit to the local park, church, library or museum, going to the swimming pool (with a qualified swimming instructor), getting active around the house and garden by growing their own vegetables and herbs or even baking and cooking with fresh healthy ingredients.
Ultimately we hope the people we visit will feel more supported and secure in their own community by getting to know their neighbours and community members.
We are also committed to talking to community groups and local businesses to encourage them to volunteer and develop community support services to assist those older people who feel vulnerable in their community.
People will be better informed of activities, events and general information about the community from the volunteers.
iCare Values
Integrity – Commitment – Accountability – Respect – Enthusiasm
Everything we do in Homecare is based on this set of core values. It ensures our management and employees demonstrate the highest standards of honesty, integrity and competence. It also ensures that we have a positive impact wherever we go, contributing to the development of a caring society.
Employees are the lifeblood of the business and their well-being is essential. Our philosophy is that they need to have the skills, motivation and confidence to do their jobs and deliver the care that their clients expect and deserve to the best of their ability.
That is why development of staff potential through training, personal development, engagement, mentoring and team-working is an essential part of work ethos.
Our CSR approach is also to involve and engage our staff to recognise the skills they have and how they can be developed within their local communities for the greater good. We introduce opportunities to recognise and develop their skills through volunteering with either our in-house charity iCare or through other community charities.
That philosophy of protecting the community and the environment extends to every aspect of our work. We are passionate recyclers, we have positive action in reducing office waste, we encourage recycling within the homes of people we work with, we have a low co2 car fleet and we minimise travel where possible.
We also focus on Client home safety where we actively safeguard our clients within the community through security awareness, and links with other community organisations to look at home safety with advice on bogus callers, carbon monoxide checks and fire safety.
Ultimately the benefits are improved staff satisfaction and improved care and outcomes for all stakeholders.
Homecare Independent Living
Callan House
Hill Street, Milford
Co. Armagh, BT60 3NZ
Tel: 028 3751 1333
Fax: 028 3752 7705
E-Mail: enquiries@homecareindependentliving.com
Web: www.homecareindependentliving.com
