Life-changing new home support service for people living with spinal cord injury now available in Galway

People living with spinal cord injuries in Galway, who often face delayed discharge from hospital or find themselves unable to come home at all because of a lack of community support services, can now avail of a new Spinal Cord Injury Home Support Service.

Dovida has developed the new home support service to meet the needs of adults living with spinal cord injury. The service was piloted in Mayo and Waterford last year and, following the successful trial, which enabled two people to return home from the National Rehabilitation Hospital and a nursing home, Dovida is now ready to deliver this service in Galway.

Dr Kathy McLoughlin, Director of Disability Services at Dovida, explains. “A spinal cord injury doesn’t just change a person’s mobility – it reshapes their entire world. One of the most significant challenges people face after injury is the transition from hospital to home.

“Our Spinal Cord Home Support Service is designed to bridge that gap and ensure that individuals can return home with dignity, safety, and the right level of care.”

“Everyday tasks such as getting out of bed, preparing a meal, or navigating a doorway can become overwhelming without the right support.”

The long road home

For many, the desire to return home is powerful. Home represents comfort and identity, but the journey back is often far more complex than people may realise.

Paula Trainor, National Enhanced Home Support Manager with Dovida, describes some of the challenges people face. “Everyday tasks such as getting out of bed, preparing a meal, or navigating a doorway can become overwhelming without the right support. In addition to adjusting to life as a wheelchair user, a person with a spinal injury may also have many healthcare needs that require assistance from trained nurses and caregivers.”

Dovida’s new service has been created to meet those challenges head‑on, and Dovida’s Galway office is currently recruiting Home Health Care Assistants to provide the service to more people throughout Galway.

Carolyn Naughton, General Manager of Dovida Galway, explains. “We are looking to develop teams of people to deliver the service, and we provide full training to people who have a full QQI Level 5 major award.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for existing caregivers to develop their skills and work as part of a team supervised by a registered nurse to support someone to come back to their own community to restart their life in their own home.”