A free, independent directory — now nationwide
You shouldn't have to search this hard for help.
Cara Clare gathers every real, trustworthy support service for older people and family carers onto one page — sorted by what you actually need, not by which organisation runs it. We started in County Clare; this is the whole country's front door.
Not affiliated with the HSE, Age Friendly Ireland, or any council — just a plain-language front door to services they and local charities already run.
Why Ireland needs this now
Source: CSO Census of Population 2022 (national results & Profile 4: Disability, Health and Carers); CSO Older Persons Information Hub.
Start here
What do you need help with?
Pick the situation closest to yours. Each one links straight to the real organisation that handles it, anywhere in Ireland.
I'm feeling isolated, or worried about someone who is
Weekly visits, daily phone check-ins.
See befriending & support →I need day-to-day help at home
Home support, personal care, meals.
See home support →I'm caring for a family member and need support myself
Advice, entitlements, support groups, respite.
See carer supports →I need transport to appointments or the shops
Door-to-door rural buses, local routes, everywhere.
See transport →I'd like company, meals, or a day out
Day care centres run locally — find yours.
See day centres →I'm not sure what payments or entitlements I can get
Carer's Allowance, Support Grant, Free Travel.
See money & entitlements →I want to know what my county offers older residents
Every county's Age Friendly Programme.
See county supports →I'm worried and don't know who to call first
One number that can point you the right way.
See where to start →The national directory
Real Irish services, checked and kept current
Every listing below operates nationwide. We link straight to them — Cara Clare doesn't provide care itself, it helps you find the right door, wherever you are in Ireland.
Feeling isolated, or worried about someone who is
ALONE — Telephone Support & Befriending
Free daily or weekly phone check-ins, plus weekly in-person visits from a matched volunteer, for older people who want more social contact.
Day-to-day help at home
HSE — Home Support Service
Apply online for HSE-funded home support (personal care, help with daily tasks), then connect with your local Home Support Office to arrange it.
Support for the person doing the caring
Family Carers Ireland — National Careline
Freephone advice line, or just to talk, any day you need it. Also connects you to a local Support Centre with a dedicated carer support manager, groups, and training.
Getting to appointments, town, or the shops
TFI Local Link
Rural and regional bus services in every county, including many door-to-door routes. Free Travel pass holders travel at no cost on most services.
Company, meals, and a day out
Local day care centres
Most counties run day care centres with meals and activities through local social services and community organisations. Your county's Age Friendly Programme (below) or local HSE Home Support Office can point you to the nearest one.
Payments and entitlements worth checking
Citizens Information Phone Service
Independent, official guidance on Carer's Allowance, the Carer's Support Grant, Free Travel, and related payments.
What your county council offers
Age Friendly Ireland
The national umbrella for all 31 local Age Friendly Programmes — find your county's initiatives, supports, and contacts for older residents.
One free call that can point you the right way
HSELive
The HSE's general public information line — a good first call if you're not sure what you need or who provides it in your area.
Hyper-local detail
Browse by county
Each county page has its own real, checked local directory — local home help, day centres, transport, and carer support — plus that county's own CSO figures. Clare was our pilot; we're adding the rest of the country one county at a time, starting with the four biggest.
Clare
Where we started. 21,657 people 65+, 5,566 living alone.
View Clare →Dublin
195,664 people 65+ across four local authorities.
View Dublin →Cork
89,461 people 65+, Ireland's largest county by area.
View Cork →Galway
42,886 people 65+, across city and county.
View Galway →Limerick
33,588 people 65+, one unified council.
View Limerick →Your county next?
21 counties still to map, properly and locally.
Suggest a county →New to caring
Three things worth doing in your first week
Practical, general starting points — every situation is different, so use these as a checklist to raise with the services above.
Register with Family Carers Ireland
It's free, takes a few minutes, and gets you a named support manager and access to training, support groups, and up-to-date entitlement advice.
Ask about the Carer's Support Grant
An annual payment separate from Carer's Allowance, and not means-tested. Citizens Information can confirm what you're entitled to.
Put transport and respite in place before you need them
Book a Local Link route and ask your local HSE Home Support Office about respite options early — both are far easier to arrange before a crisis than during one.
For local organisations
Run a service for older people or carers, anywhere in Ireland?
Get listed on Cara Clare free. Want to stand out with a featured placement, your logo, and a direct enquiry link? That's a small monthly fee that keeps this directory free for the people who use it.
- Standard listing — always free
- Featured listing — from €30/month
- Corrections & updates welcome any time