Anna is one of approximately 15,00 home-care workers in Ireland servicing 25,000 homes. Today, Joe Duffy heard her story on Liveline. Anna explained that she is having an issue with her agency-mandated work schedule that results in long days but sparse hours.
“My first call may be at 9 o’clock in the morning. My last call could be at 9 o’clock at night. But yet I only have 4 hours work.”
While this schedule is taxing, she told Joe how much she enjoys the work she does in the community.
“Some days you don't know what you’re going to face when you go in. You're facing these clients and they’re at their most vulnerable…You want to be there for them. You just get so attached to them. They really feel like a second family to me.”
At the moment, Anna’s love for her job seems to be sustaining her. But as she relayed to Joe, this may not last. It all results in a push and pull between what she wants and what she has to do.
“I love my job but I’m just so…tired with it all. I could nearly just work in McDonald’s and probably get more hours and more pay. But I just love what I’m doing so much. And I know these people really need us.”
Listen back to the whole discussion with Anna on Liveline by clicking here.