Lousie Laheen Duggan crowned Right at Home’s Carer of the Year
Louise Laheen Duggan from Menlough in Galway was crowned Right at Home’s 2021 Carer of the year at a very special awards ceremony at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Dublin City on Friday, November 5th.
Providers of home care and assistance for seniors and adults, Right at Home’s 2021 Carer of the Year Awards celebrate and recognise the work and commitment of care staff who play an instrumental role in their communities, enabling individuals to continue to live independent and happy lives in the comfort of their own homes. Right at Home was established in 2013 in Dublin and has since opened offices in Wicklow, Kildare, Galway, Mayo/Roscommon and Cork.
Louise was one of six regional finalists in the running for National Carer of the year. Nominations were sent in earlier this year by clients, client families, their colleagues, managers, and supervisors who witness first-hand the contribution carers make to the lives of those they care for and it was up to judges Dr. Sinead Kane, a qualified lawyer and lecturer in disability law and policy and ultra-marathon runner who only has 5% vision, Louis Copeland, tailor to the stars and Sophie Moran of Ibec to make the no doubt, tough decision.
As nominees, their colleagues and friends came together for the awards ceremony on November 5th. It was a welcome celebration and opportunity to enjoy this special event following the challenges brought about by Covid-19 which saw carers go above and beyond in their line of duty.
In advance of the winner being announced, judges Dr. Sinead Kane, Louis Copeland and Sophie Moran had this message to share, “Our winner is an outstanding individual who blew us away from the moment we met them with their kindness, passion and dedication. They conveyed empathy and respect and enlightened us on what it means to them to be a carer and the importance of building a trusting and transparent relationship. They came across as efficient, organised, and reliable. It’s clear that this individual goes above and beyond in their role every day and truly appreciates the duty of care that they have to the community of vulnerable people they serve.”
Expressing her delight at receiving the award as it was announced, Louise Laheen Duggan said, “I can’t quite believe it yet! I am so honoured to receive this award today and couldn’t have done it without the fantastic team behind me at Right at Home, Galway. I am passionate about the work I do and I feel very lucky to do something I love every day. It is a privilege to be able to support my clients to live a happy life in the comfort of their own home and to build a trusting and respectful relationship with both the client and their families. It is so much more than a job, it’s a friendship as well and I look forward to sharing this wonderful news with everyone back in Galway. I would like to say a quick thanks to Natalie Crowe, Managing Director of Right at Home Galway for her continued support since I joined Right at Home three years ago, she has built a fantastic team which I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of.
In recognition of the wider care team, a number of additional awards were also announced on the day. Shola Arajuwa from Dublin and Kathleen McDonnell from Galway both took home awards recognising their commitment to going above and beyond, especially as a result of the difficult circumstances posed by Covid-19. The Outstanding Achievement Award, recognising the accomplishments of one individual across from the Right at Home team went to Nurse Geraldine Tabb. Finally, The Right at Home office of the year went to Galway.
Speaking at the event, David McKone, Managing Director of Right at Home Ireland said, “We established the awards last year during COVID as an opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and determination of Right at Home Carer’s providing exceptional care to their clients, carrying out their roles in line with Right at Home’s values of respect, dignity and trust; and who go the extra mile with humour, kindness and a personal touch. This has been even more important in recent times, given the extremely challenging environment in which our carers have had to operate due to the ongoing pandemic. I would like to congratulate all nominees and winners today who exemplify these attributes and we’re very grateful to have them as a part of the Right at Home team.”
Right at Home has six offices across Ireland including Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Galway, Mayo/Roscommon and Cork.
