You know your dad in Glasnevin isn’t managing the way he was, or your mum in Dundrum has had one fall too many, and you’re not sure what kind of help to even look for. That uncertainty is the hardest part, and it’s very common. Finding elderly care Dublin families are happy with rarely starts with a provider. It starts with working out which type of care fits.
There are five main options: care at home, a day centre, respite, supported housing, and a nursing home. Each has a different front door, and in Dublin that door depends on which side of the Liffey and which council area your parent lives in. If a carer at home is already what you have in mind, you can go straight to elderly carers in Dublin.
Key takeaways
– Elderly care Dublin options run from a few hours of help at home to full-time nursing home care, and most families use more than one over time
– A GP or public health nurse is the usual referral route into day centres
– Fair Deal covers long-term nursing home care only, not respite or day care
– Dublin has two Nursing Homes Support Offices: Blanchardstown for the north city and county, and Naas for Dublin South
– The Housing Adaptation Grant from your council is worth up to €40,000
Elderly care Dublin families choose from comes in five forms
The right elderly care Dublin option depends on how much help your parent needs and how much of it has to be hands-on. Citizens Information notes that the vast majority of older people are able to live in their own homes with some support, so start at the top of this table and work down.
| Type of care | Suits a parent who | First call |
|---|---|---|
| Care at home | Needs help washing, dressing, or getting about | HSE Home Support Office |
| Day centre | Is lonely or needs daytime support | GP or public health nurse |
| Respite | Has a family carer who needs a break | Family Carers Ireland careline |
| Supported housing | Can live independently in a more suitable home | Your local council |
| Nursing home | Needs care around the clock | Nursing Homes Support Office |
None of these choices is permanent. Plenty of elderly care Dublin arrangements begin with a day centre twice a week, add a carer at home a year later, and only consider residential care much further on.
Care at home is where most Dublin families begin
For most people looking into elderly care Dublin offers, home care is the first and least disruptive step. The HSE Home Support Service provides carers who come to the house to help with everyday tasks, and it is free for people aged 65 or over who need support to keep living at home.
Your application goes to the Home Support Office for your parent’s address. There are offices in Swords, Blanchardstown, Clonskeagh, Tallaght, and Dún Laoghaire, and our home care Dublin guide lists the phone number for each one.
When funded hours aren’t enough
HSE hours cover the essentials, and many families top them up privately. Two things help with that:
- Tax relief: Revenue allows relief on up to €75,000 a year per incapacitated person for the cost of employing a carer, at your marginal rate of income tax
- Local choice: you can browse local carer profiles and compare experience and availability before you ring anyone
If you’re still deciding between home and residential care, our reasons why caring for elderly relatives at home so often works out better are worth ten minutes of your time.
Day centres and respite keep everyone going
Not all elderly care Dublin families need happens inside the home. A day out for your parent, or a week off for you, can be what makes the whole arrangement last.
Day centres
Day centres offer social and rehabilitative services for older people. Some are run directly by the HSE and some by other organisations on its behalf, so what’s available in Coolock won’t match what’s available in Clondalkin. According to Citizens Information, services at day centres can include:
- Meals
- Personal care
- Health monitoring
- Chiropody
- Advice for carers
- Transport to and from the centre
Your parent’s GP or public health nurse usually makes the referral. There may be a small charge for transport and meals.
Respite
If you’re the one doing most of the caring, your own rest is part of the plan. Respite care Dublin families use might be a carer covering for you at home, or a short stay for your parent in a residential setting.
Fair Deal doesn’t pay for short-term care such as respite, so ask about cost early. The Family Carers Ireland careline on 1800 24 07 24 can talk you through respite and counselling. It is open 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm on Friday.
Supported housing suits a parent who is still independent
Housing is the part of elderly care Dublin families overlook most often. Sometimes the problem is the house, not your parent. Stairs, a bath, or a garden that has got too big can make a capable person look as if they need care.
Adapting the home they have
The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability helps pay for changes such as a ground-floor bathroom or a stairlift. The maximum grant is €40,000, and you apply to your local authority. Our list of 20 ways to adapt a home for an elderly loved one shows where that money goes furthest.
Moving somewhere more suitable
If you’ve searched for sheltered housing Dublin options, start with the council. Citizens Information explains that some local authorities provide specific housing for older people, usually accessible and with extra supports. Approved housing bodies offer similar supported or sheltered housing.
You apply with the social housing support form from your parent’s council, and each council keeps its own waiting list. Searches for assisted living Dublin developments can turn up a mix of schemes. Ask any of them exactly what care is included and what costs extra.
Choosing a nursing home in Dublin takes three checks
When care at home is no longer enough, a nursing home can be the kindest decision you make. Three steps protect your parent and your peace of mind, whichever nursing home Dublin has room in.
- Check the regulator. All nursing homes are inspected by HIQA, and its Find a Centre search lets you filter registered centres by county.
- Visit more than one. The HSE’s advice on finding the right nursing home is to look at a few and make an appointment to visit before deciding.
- Ask about waiting lists and extra fees. Your preferred home may have a waiting list, and extra charges should be agreed and written into the contract.
People often search for care homes Dublin when they mean nursing homes. The HSE and HIQA both say nursing home, so that’s the word to use when you ring.
How Fair Deal works
Under the Fair Deal Scheme (Nursing Homes Support Scheme), you pay a certain amount towards the cost of care and the HSE pays the rest. The HSE assesses your parent’s care needs and their finances, and their payment is the same for all approved nursing homes. Our guide to elderly care grants available in Ireland covers the wider funding picture.
Which Dublin office takes your application
The HSE lists two Nursing Homes Support Offices for Dublin, and your form goes to the one for your parent’s area.
- Dublin North City and County: Nexus Building, Blanchardstown Corporate Park, Dublin 15, on 01 897 6121
- Dublin South, Wicklow, and Kildare: Hawthorn House, Millennium Park, Naas, on 045 920 000
Elderly care Dublin supports change with the council area
County Dublin has four local authorities, and housing, grants, and age-friendly services all run through them. Find your parent’s neighbourhood below before you pick up the phone.
- Dublin City Council: Glasnevin, Phibsborough, Artane, Coolock, Inchicore, Kimmage, Donnybrook, and the rest of the city
- Fingal County Council: Swords, Malahide, Portmarnock, Donabate, Lusk, Rush, and Mulhuddart
- South Dublin County Council: Tallaght, Clondalkin, Lucan, Palmerstown, Firhouse, Knocklyon, Saggart, and Rathcoole
- Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council: Dún Laoghaire, Blackrock, Glenageary, Killiney, Shankill, Ballinteer, and Dundrum
Dublin City Council runs its Age Friendly City programme across five administrative areas, and its customer services line is 01 222 2222. In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, the Age-Friendly Programme team is on 01 205 4893. For the southern edge of the county, see our guide to elderly care in Dublin 18.
A calm first week makes your elderly care Dublin search manageable
You don’t need the whole answer today. You need the next phone call.
- Talk to your parent first. Ask what they find hardest and what they’d hate to lose.
- Ring their GP or public health nurse about a home support application and a day centre referral.
- Call HSE Live on 1800 700 700 if you’re unsure which office covers the address. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.
- Look at carers who live nearby, so help can start while the paperwork moves.
If memory loss is part of the picture, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s National Helpline is 1800 341 341. It is open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm, and it’s a good call to make before any other decision.
For step four, you can find trusted elderly carers near you in Dublin on our Dublin page, or browse elder carers near you on TrustedCarers if your parent lives in another county. The best elderly care Dublin offers is usually a mix that changes as your parent does. You’ll find more guides in our elderly care advice hub, the Elderly Care section, and our care grants archive.
FAQ
Q: How do I find elderly care in Dublin?
A: Finding elderly care Dublin-wide starts with deciding which type of care fits: care at home, a day centre, respite, supported housing, or a nursing home. After that, contact the right office for your parent’s address, which is the HSE Home Support Office for care at home or the GP and public health nurse for a day centre.
Q: How much does elderly care cost in Ireland?
A: The HSE Home Support Service is free for people aged 65 or over. Day centres may charge a small amount for transport and meals, and under Fair Deal you pay a certain amount towards nursing home care while the HSE pays the rest.
Q: Is there free elderly care Dublin families can apply for?
A: Yes. The HSE Home Support Service is free, and day centre places are accessed by referral from a GP or public health nurse. Our home care Dublin guide explains how to apply through each Dublin office.
Q: Where do I send a Fair Deal application in Dublin?
A: It goes to the Nursing Homes Support Office for your area. Dublin North City and County is handled from Blanchardstown on 01 897 6121, and Dublin South from the Naas office on 045 920 000.
Q: How can I check a nursing home in Dublin?
A: All nursing homes are inspected by HIQA. Use its Find a Centre search to look up registered centres in County Dublin, then visit your shortlist in person before you decide.
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