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Personal Assistance & Assisted Living

One-to-one support from skilled Personal Assistants — from personal care to getting out and about — so you stay in control of your own day.

Get support 021 432 2651
A woman in a wheelchair slicing vegetables on a lap tray in her own kitchen
  • Support led by you, in your own home and community
  • Skilled, Garda-vetted Personal Assistants (PAs)
  • Personal care, daily tasks and social inclusion
  • For adults under 65 with a physical or sensory disability
  • Serving Cork city and the South Lee area

Our Assisted Living – Personal Assistant Service (ALS) puts you in the driving seat. A Personal Assistant (PA) works alongside you to do the things you choose to do — the same way anyone else goes about their day. Support is designed with you, not for you.

What a Personal Assistant helps with

ALS supports can range from personal care to social inclusion, including:

  • Personal care — washing, dressing, grooming and getting ready for the day
  • Around the home — cooking, cleaning, laundry and everyday tasks
  • Out and about — shopping, appointments, work, study and social activities
  • Staying connected — supporting you to take part in your community on your terms

Who it’s for

The service supports people who are under 65 and living in Cork city and the South Lee area with a physical and/or sensory disability, for example:

  • Physical disabilities such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, spinal injury, amputation or the effects of a stroke
  • Sensory impairments including visual impairment, hearing loss, or combined sight and hearing loss (deafblind)

How to access the service

  1. Contact your local Public Health Nurse (PHN). Your PHN is the first point of contact — they carry out an assessment and make a referral for personal assistance hours.
  2. Referral to the HSE. Applications go to HSE Disability Services and are considered at interagency meetings held every 6–8 weeks.

Please note: there is a fixed level of funding, so there are some limits to what can be provided and there may be a waiting list. Talking to us early helps you understand your options.

Wrap Around Services: some service users receive broader, coordinated support from Cork CIL across several areas of their lives. To discuss this, contact our CEO on 086 792 9684.

Not sure where to start? Get in touch and we’ll guide you through it.