Danette Connolly, Director of Care at Home Instead Senior Care picked up the Female Excellence in Professional Services Award at the Network Waterford Women In Business Awards 2011, which were held in the Tower Hotel on Thursday, May 26th.
In 1998 New Zealander Danette arrived in Waterford armed with a nursing qualification and began work in the Intensive Care Unit of Waterford Regional Hospital. However, while in Waterford, Danette recognised a gap in the nursing recruitment market and founded Nursing and Allied Services which operated for a decade. She subsequently developed a state of the art training facility at the Cleaboy Business Park which provides training services to health professionals, manual handling training to all business sectors, manual handling and patient handling to the healthcare organisations and First Aid Training to individuals and groups.
Not content to rest on her laurels in January 2009 Danette and her husband Michael brought the highly successful and award winning, Home Instead Senior Care Franchise to Waterford. Home Instead Senior Care provides non-medical homecare to seniors in their own homes and has 17 owner operated offices in Ireland.
During 2010 and into 2011 Home Instead Senior Care experienced growth during challenging economic times. This growth has provided employment opportunities for Waterford.The organisation is not only recognised as a growing business, but also as a reputable and trusted member of the health care sector.
Danette has spearheaded many positive health initiatives including Positive Ageing Week in Waterford. Her hard work came to fruition in 2010 when Waterford was designated a Positive Ageing city.
Danette has also worked to establish a Stroke Support Group for Waterford. At a local level Danette has been advocating for regulation of the home care sector with the best interest of those being cared for in mind. Currently there is no regulation, but Home Instead Senior Care works to the Home Care Association standards (HCA) and is audited on these. This helps ensure local seniors receive a guaranteed quality of care.
It is testimony to Danette’s drive and ambition that has established her as one of Waterford’s leading business women and the Female Excellence in Professional Services Award endorses this.
According to Danette “I am delighted to have received this award. It is always nice to be recognised by your peers. This award reinforces the fact that we are going in the right direction in establishing a viable respected business and working with our staff, clients, health care providers and the wider community to promote better health awareness amongst seniors and their families.”
In 2009 Danette was a finalist for the South East County & City Enterprise Boards Woman in Business Awards and a Winner of the Professional Services Entrepreneur (Nursing & Allied Services). Danette won the Network Waterford Business Woman of the year (self-employed) and represented Waterford nationally and was one of three finalists for that category
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