Laois Nursing Home Residents Tell HIQA Previous Quality Of Life 'Has Not Resumed'

Tuesday, 24 August 2021 09:26

The HIQA report noted that the nursing home is question was almost entirely compliant.

Several residents of a Laois Nursing Home told HIQA inspectors they weren't enjoying life in the facility, despite it being almost entirely compliant with regulations.

An unannounced assessment of Kilminchy Lodge in Portlaoise in May found it was compliant or substantially compliant in 14 of 15 areas.

43 residents were in the 53-bed unit at the time.

The solitary area of non-compliance was residents rights, where inspectors observed a lack of 'one to one meaningful activities'.

A plan was initiated following the visit for the nursing home to become compliant by July 2nd.

Here's the section of the HIQA report that detailed the area of non-compliance:

Life in the centre for residents was less restricted due to easing of COVID-19 precautions and while social distancing they were going about their day as they wished in the centre. Although, life in the centre for residents was returning to relative normality, sufficient access to meaningful social activities for residents has not resumed to a level where many of the residents' interests and capabilities were met to their satisfaction. While, residents' feedback to the inspector was that staff were attentive to their needs for assistance, respectful of their choices, kind and caring and they were cared for to a very good standard, their quality of life in the centre was not good. This feedback concurred with the inspector's observations and the information in residents' records on the day of inspection. Residents said there was an absence of something 'interesting to do, to pass the day' and they longed for visits from their families 'to break the monotony'. Several residents told the inspector they enjoyed a Kilminchy Olympics event in the weeks previous to the inspection but two residents said they were 'bored' again. One other resident said 'there was not enough entertainment' and several others said they were not enjoying their life in the centre. Some residents reminisced to the inspector about the good quality of life they used to enjoy and regretted that their previous quality of life in the centre had not resumed.

You can read the report in full here.