Support Services Directory

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

These are the HSE and community services family carers in Ireland turn to most often. Each one below covers what it is, why it might help, where to start, and roughly what it costs — so you know what to ask for before you make the call.

Looking for equipment or funding instead? See theequipment & funding directory. Not sure who to contact first? Start withwhere to get help.

Community Occupational Therapy (HSE)

What
Assessment and practical support from an occupational therapist (OT) to help someone manage everyday activities — washing, dressing, moving around the home — safely and independently, including advice on home adaptations and equipment.
Why
If your relative is struggling with everyday tasks, having falls, or you're worried about the safety of their home layout (stairs, bathroom, kitchen), an OT assessment is the usual next step and often the route to getting equipment or a home adaptation grant approved.
Where
Ask your GP, public health nurse or hospital team for a referral, or contact your Local Health Office / primary care team directly — many areas accept self-referral for adults over 18.
Cost
Check with your Local Health Office — provided as part of core HSE primary care services.
Tips
Appointments can happen by phone, at a primary care clinic, or as a home visit — ask specifically for a home visit if the concern is about the physical safety of the house.

Source: HSE — Occupational Therapy

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Community Physiotherapy (HSE)

What
Assessment and hands-on treatment from a physiotherapist to help with mobility, strength, balance and recovery after illness, injury or a hospital stay — delivered through primary care teams and integrated care programmes for older people.
Why
If your relative's mobility has declined, they've had a fall, or they're recovering from a hospital admission, community physio can help rebuild strength and reduce further fall risk, often working alongside occupational therapy and public health nursing.
Where
Referral is usually via your GP, public health nurse, or hospital discharge team to your Local Health Office / primary care team's therapy service.
Cost
Check with your Local Health Office — provided as part of core HSE primary care services.
Tips
If your relative is over 75 and dealing with frailty, falls, or memory changes, ask whether your area's Integrated Care Programme for Older People (ICPOP) team is involved — physiotherapy is often part of that wider assessment.

Source: HSE — Physiotherapy Therapy Services

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

HSE Day Care Centres for Older People

What
Centre-based sessions a few days a week offering social activities, meals, and in some centres personal care (showering, chiropody) or nursing support. Some centres run dementia-specific day care.
Why
If your relative is isolated at home, or you need a regular, predictable break from caring, a day care place gives them company and structured activity — and gives you (or a local carer) a reliable window of respite.
Where
Contact your local public health nurse or Local Health Office for a referral — centres are HSE-run or HSE-funded voluntary organisations, and availability/days vary by area.
Cost
Check with your Local Health Office — some centres charge a contribution, particularly for meals; medical card holders may pay less.
Tips
Ask specifically whether a dementia-specific day is available if that's relevant — not all centres run one, and it's usually a separate day from general day care.

Source: HSE — Support and Services for Caring for Older People

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

HSE Home Support Service

What
Practical help at home for older people — support with washing, dressing, getting up and going to bed, and other daily tasks. Delivered directly by the HSE or by an HSE-approved provider.
Why
If your relative is finding daily tasks harder, or is coming home from hospital and needs a bit of extra help to stay independent, this is usually the first door to knock on.
Where
Apply through your Local Health Office or Home Support Office. You can apply while your relative is still at home, in hospital, or in a nursing home.
Cost
Free. No medical card is needed to apply, and income is not assessed.
Tips
A needs assessment (usually by a public health nurse, occupational therapist or physiotherapist) decides how many hours are allocated — ask about Consumer Directed Home Support (CDHS) if you'd like more say over which provider and what times calls happen.

Source: HSE — Home Support Service for older people

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Meals on Wheels

What
Hot or frozen meals delivered to the home, run by local voluntary and community groups, often working alongside or on behalf of the HSE.
Why
If you're worried about your relative not eating properly, or you can't get there every day to check, a regular meal delivery is a simple, low-friction way to keep an eye on things without taking over their independence.
Where
Contact your Local Health Office, GP, or primary care centre for a referral, or search the National Meals on Wheels Network's provider map for a local group — many groups also accept family or self-referral directly.
Cost
You may be asked to contribute towards the cost of meals. If your relative has a medical card, community care services are generally free — check the exact cost with the local provider.
Tips
Availability, meal choice and delivery days vary a lot by area since it's run locally — ring ahead rather than assuming daily delivery is available.

Source: Citizens Information — Community care services

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Medical Social Work Service

What
Emotional, practical and social support from a hospital-based medical social worker (MSW) for patients and families dealing with illness, hospital admission, discharge planning, or bereavement.
Why
If your relative is in hospital and you're feeling overwhelmed by decisions about discharge, care options, or the emotional toll on the family, the ward's medical social worker is a named professional you can ask to speak to directly.
Where
Ask the ward nurse, consultant, or hospital discharge coordinator to refer you to the hospital's medical social work department — most acute hospitals have one.
Cost
Free — provided as part of the public hospital service.
Tips
You don't need to wait to be referred if things feel urgent — you can ask ward staff directly for the medical social worker, especially around discharge planning.

Source: HSE — Medical Social Work, University Hospital Limerick

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

Public Health Nursing (District Nurse) Service

What
Nursing care and support delivered in the home and local health centre — wound care, medication support, chronic disease monitoring, and coordinating other services for older people.
Why
If your relative has an ongoing health need but isn't in hospital, the public health nurse (PHN) is often the person coordinating their care in the community and the fastest route to other supports like home support, day care or equipment.
Where
Contact your Local Health Office to find your area's public health nursing team, or ask your GP or hospital discharge team to make a referral.
Cost
Check with your Local Health Office — this is delivered as part of core HSE community services.
Tips
The PHN is frequently the gateway referrer for Home Support Service and community occupational therapy/physiotherapy assessments — worth introducing yourself as the family contact early on, even if you live at a distance.

Source: HSE — Public Health Nursing

Last reviewed: 17 July 2026

None of these services are things this site provides directly — always confirm current details with the linked HSE or Citizens Information source before you act.