Care homes - nursing
Nursing homes are care homes where residents receive 24-hour nursing care, where needed. Residents may have a long term condition (LTC), physical disabilities or complex additional needs. The majority of nursing homes residents are over 65: approximately 638,000 people are aged over 65 in Ireland, with over 58,000 people aged 85 or over*
*Central Statistics Office, 2016 and 2011 Censuses respectively
With residents including the elderly, people with sensory impairment, those with dementia and people with physical disabilities, the risk of a slip or fall is high, making safety flooring a must in high-risk areas and recommended in communal areas. Some 250 people die in Ireland every year as a direct result of falling. There are also 7,250 fall-related hospital admissions each year with an average length of stay of 12.7 days, costing €59 million a year. *
* Health Service Executive’s ‘Strategy to Prevent Falls and Fractures in Ireland’s Population’ from 2008.
Good hygiene is vital to protect residents with low immunity by reducing the spread of infection so an impervious, easy to clean walls and floors system has an important role to play.
However, the emphasis is on the word ‘home’. These are not hospitals so while residents must be protected, a personal touch is needed and expected. This is key for the well-being of most care home residents. As well as keeping families and friends together, in nursing homes, carers are seen as extended family.