Meet our Caregivers | Nuala Colfer

Some people spend their career working in care and some come to it later in life. Nuala Colfer, 82, has been a Dovida Caregiver for nearly two years. Previously, she had worked as a telephonist, responsible for connecting telephone calls on a switchboard; and after caring for her husband and sister, she became a Professional Caregiver with Dovida Waterford in November 2023.

What can you tell us about your background?

I started working in the GPO as a telephonist, then, when I got married, I worked with my husband in a garden centre. On retirement, I retrained to become a legal secretary. I’m into lifelong learning, I think if you stop learning you’re finished. I’ve done secretarial courses, I’ve done an M.A. and H. Dip. in Adult Education, Diploma in Health and Social Work, complimentary medicines, aromatherapy, physiology, anatomy, certificates in chemistry. “You’ll be the best qualified corpse in the graveyard,” I’ve been told. I’ve completed a Solas practitioner course, which works the five senses and designed activities for older people in DCU. Those last two especially really help with caregiving.

“With caregiving, I’m helping other people, I’m not living a meaningless life. I enjoy the work and making contact and bringing people back into humanity.”

What interested you in becoming a Caregiver?

Having cared for my husband and sister by the time I joined Dovida, I had years of experience looking after people. I felt I was good at it, so I decided to do it. With caregiving, I‘m helping other people, I’m not living a meaningless life. I enjoy the work and making contact and bringing people back into humanity.

“It’s about reminding people of how unique and gifted they are while encouraging them to share their life stories and listening with care. It’s also about having fun and reminding them to laugh and find the good bits in their life now.”

Can you describe your relationship with your clients?

My husband always said that people would look over and through him, they never looked at him. I always sit with my clients and look them straight in the eye. If they’re open to it, I’ll hold their hand so that I make contact with them and they know I’m giving them my full attention. Then I listen and talk to them, remind them they’re valuable people who have contributed to life, met people, had experiences. I encourage those who are verbal to share their experiences and it brings that person to life. People have done all sorts of exciting things, I had one client who had done loads of marathons all over the world and this had slipped her mind. Connecting like this, brings these experiences back to life and gives the individual energy.

It’s about reminding people of how unique and gifted they are while encouraging them to share their life stories and listening with care. It’s also about having fun and reminding them to laugh and find the good bits in their life now. It’s also about making time for music, poetry, dance, light exercise that’s tailored to their abilities. That life is for living even though it’s more limited now!!

Sometimes life can close people down so much and they can focus only on discomfort, limitations and pain. It’s easy to be in good form when you are free to do as you like, but our task is to improve quality of life. This is a tall order in short visits, but a relationship can be built up over time and improve life in small ways by encouragement and empathy.

“If you slow down you’re finished. You’ve to keep learning, get out there and do things if you have the health.”

How important is it to keep active as you age?

It’s of the utmost importance. If you slow down you’re finished. You’ve to keep learning, get out there and do things if you have the health. After my husband died it would have been easy for me to feel sorry for myself, but I said I wouldn’t do that. I couldn’t help him anymore, so I help others instead, I do set dancing, I’m in a choir. I think music is very important for older people, some who are non-verbal still remember words to songs. 

“You get old if you think you’re old, you stay young if you think you’re young.”

Does having greater life experience help you connect with your clients?

Yes, I’ve been through the mill myself and it softens you up a bit, it takes the surety out of your life. When you have bad times, you can either be bitter and blame everyone or you can say everyone has their trials to go through and this is mine. You’ve to live the cards your dealt, get on with life and do good for people. You get old if you think you’re old, you stay young if you think you’re young.

What is something your proud of in life?

My family. I’ve a wonderful family, I’m very blessed and they’re very kind to me. I can always call on them and it’s great to know that I’m not on my own, I have my family, children and grandchildren and great granchildren.