seeking advice on care agencies and falls alarms (Ireland)

[WanderleyWagon]

Dear mumsnetters,
I continue to find this forum a huge source of information and advice and encouragement when I'm feeling resentful/sad/guilty/frustrated - so first of all, thank you all very much.

My dad, in his early 80s, continues to slow down and is increasingly vague and lethargic. He doesn't need personal care yet but he's lonely and anxious and struggles with anything outside a very fixed routine. He lives in Ireland and we've discussed getting him a couple of visits a week from a carer who would make him supper and keep him company for an hour (luckily he is able to fund this privately). We've also discussed getting him a falls alarm. He doesn't have any children living in Ireland and I need to sort these kinds of things during relatively short visits over.

I'm aware of the Pebbell (available privately), and also of the Pobal scheme where older people can get a free falls alarm and a contribution towards the monitoring costs. I'm not really sure what kinds of questions to ask about the different options. Would any Irish mumsnetters have experience of solutions that worked well? Might anybody have recommendations of care agencies which you have found good for companionship-type support? (e.g. Home Instead Ireland, beindependent.ie?). Any comments would be really helpful, and please feel free to DM me if it's easier.

My parents have an alarm system with Care Direct 24/7 arranged by the public health nurse. It was free for the first year, but they had an invoice for 66 Euros a couple of days ago for the year ahead which I have just paid.. (Although its a struggle getting them to wear the alarm bracelets!)
Your best bet is to call the GP and find out which is the nearest public health team.
My parents one is brilliant.
My parents on the other hand are very stubborn.

Dad is 84 and Mum is 79.
Both have mobility problems.
Dad has had multiple falls.
Refused stair life as they are for old people.
Refused home help. (they were granted 10 hrs a week after my dad was seriously ill last year but stubbornly refused to have any strangers in the house.)
So mum is dad's carer with occasional respite from me.
But the public health team should probably be your first port of call and they will have details of the local care agencies.
My sis in law works in community services in Galway and knows people so if you dm your location, I might be able to get some info.

Thank you very much, @Melty! My dad is in Dublin. If you knew of anything in that area that would be brilliant but meanwhile I'll follow up your suggestions. Thank you so much again!

I got my Dad an Apple Watch, which has an excellent fall alarm built in as well as a single button to push for the emergency services. You can add details of who else gets alerted when the alarm is triggered. Not in Ireland so you will have to check if it works there. None of the stigma of an old person’s fall alarm, and crucially will work outside house, a lot of alarms only work in the house and maybe a bit of the garden. No good if you have a fall on the way to the bus stop and no one is around. Your Dad will need to have enough mental capacity to remember how to use it though. My Dad moved into sheltered accommodation and all the other residents wanted to know about his watch. If he can be persuaded to look at sheltered accommodation he’d have some company whilst retaining his independence, but I appreciate that may be a step too far for him.