A Co Galway nursing home was recently chosen as the outright winner of a national care award at the Nursing Homes Ireland annual awards ceremony.
President Mary McAleese presented the award, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, to the Village Nursing Care Centre in Craughwell at a reception in Dublin recently.
The five-year-old centre provides respite, residential, home care, day care and high dependency care.
In her address, President McAleese said the awards highlight the achievements of people who rarely make the headlines but whose relentless work on behalf of older people in residential care is being recognised.
“So many nursing homes in this country are good places to be thanks to Nursing Homes Ireland and so tonight the spotlight falls on those who get it right, all day, every day and who will never settle for anything less,” she said.
“We are focusing on those whose special vocation of care is to the 20,000 of our senior citizens who are now in residential care. They and their families rely on people like our nominees to create a ‘home from home’ a place where they are nurtured, safe, contented, respected, treated with dignity, where they can socialise, make friends, learn new skills, practice old talents and live life to the fullest possible in a trusted place among trusted people.”
The award category, “The Nursing Home Community Initiative Award”, was established to celebrate the contribution that nursing homes make to the local community. The Village Nursing Care Centre was shortlisted from a large number of entries and was competing with Haven Bay Nursing Home in Cork and Knightsbridge Nursing Home in Co. Meath on the night. All three candidates for this award were selected on the basis that they have achieved significant success in being an active member of their local community.
Speaking about the awards, Dr Bhatti, the founder of the Village Nursing Care Centre, praised staff, residents and members of the community for their help in making the nursing home an integral part of the local community.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been chosen by the NHI judging panel as the winner for this award. It is fantastic to have our initiatives recognised by the NHI for this prestigious award. I would like to thank our residents and all of our friends in the local community, especially the active retirement and community groups, who have been regular visitors and participants at our many events throughout the year. I would also like to thank my extremely hard working staff for their contribution to our community initiatives.”
