HIQA report published on Abbeylands Nursing Home

A recently-published HIQA report on Abbeylands Nursing Home in Kildorrery has found the facility to be largely compliant, with some issues found which were all to be addressed soon after the visit.

Divided into three suites, Abbeylands can accommodate 50 residents, most of whom are over the age of 65 and on the day of the visit had 38 at the home. The visit was announced and took place at the end of January this year.

The indoor premises was considered warm and welcoming, a nice garden and suitable oldtime music played during mealtimes which enhanced the atmosphere. On that particular day many residents praised the soup specifically and home-made scones were on offer during morning teabreak. Residents had, amongst other things, access to a GP, physiotherapist, a hairdresser who visits weekly, with Mass every Friday for both residents and their relatives.

Laundry services had recently been outsourced and residents were also asked their opinions on the running of the centre and, on the back of this, suppertime had been pushed back to 5pm. One smoker noted that staff ‘ never hesitated’ to accompany them to the smoking room when they required it.

However, the inspector found issue with some of the physical aspects of the centre, where residents’ rooms were missing chairs, paintwork and woodwork was chipped and marked and some rooms were ‘cluttered with equipment and supplies’. A number of items in the utility room were visibly unclean and needed attention and two rusted shower seats meant they could not be effectively cleaned. In terms of fire safety, some items were missing including a pushbar from one side of two exit doors in the centre.

Following the visit, management at the centre part-replaced the bed pan washer and maintenance and painting was due to start at the close of March. The clutter was also removed from the relevant rooms following the visit. Fire safety equipment that was faulty and missing was all due to be resolved by the end of April.