LAST UPDATE | 27 Aug

LAST WEEK, AN official inspection report on a Dublin nursing home told how a resident received only two recorded showers in a month, while another resident they had been left sitting in wet incontinence wear for two hours.

Over 25,000 people receive care in 440 privately operated nursing homes, with a further 125 public facilities operated by the HSE. 

The sector has hit the headlines in recent years over a wave of closures, over fees and charges to families, and over problems identified by state inspectors at individual centres.

However, many nursing homes receive positive reports when the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) – the watchdog for the sector – inspects them. The care provided by nusing home staff – many of them care assistants on very low pay -  is often commended by residents.

We would like to hear your experience of the Irish nursing home sector.

Do you have an older relative staying in a nursing home? Are you in a nursing home? 

Have you worked in a nursing home? 

Are Irish nursing homes adequately funded, sufficiently staffed, fit for purpose? Are they affordable and accessible when older people need them? 

Please share your thoughts and experiences by emailing answers@thejournal.ie or by clicking the button below. 

Please include your name and location and keep it to a maximum of two paragraphs (around 200-250 words max).