Micheal Dempsey retired three years ago and decided that he still had plenty of time and energy on his hands. Not only did he decide to train to be a carer but he works full-time and is so good at his job, he is representing his Dublin 7 office in the Comfort Keepers Carer of the Year Award.
I asked Michael what he enjoyed so much about working as a carer (it was easy to tell he enjoys it) and his answer incorporated the 3 C’s: Communication (being able to chat to people and make a difference to their day), Companionship (making people feel happy in his company) and Care (being able to look after people).
He believes that the best carers are good communicators, make people feel comfortable and take their anxiety away. Being able to make a person relax is an important skill and once they enjoy the hour of your company every day, it makes a huge difference to their lives.
Michael sees most of his clients for an hour in the morning and then for half an hour in the evenings. “Men often prefer male carers” he says “We can chat about football and hurling as well as other things”.
Michael was extremely jolly, talkative and positive during the interview. It’s easy to see that he puts people at ease within minutes. We wish him well with the rest of the process. The overall winner will be announced on 13th November.
