Closure of Laois nursing home 'an awful loss to our community'

Laois councillors believe that HIQA health regulations are too high for family run nursing homes.

Their comments come after the shock closure announcement of Ballard Lodge on the Borris Road in Portlaoise.

The business shut down after 21 years of operation, forcing the 24 residents to find alternative accommodation, with 32 job losses. 

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley describes it as "an awful loss to our community".

Speaking at the April meeting of Laois County Council, she expressed concern at regulations.

"This was a fantastic nursing facility. I know people who were looked after there very well. If it was left to HIQA we wouldn't have an A&E in Portlaoise. I'm all in favour of proper standards but small nursing homes are like an extension of the family home. I remember in Covid bringing books up, they were looked after so well that I had to drop the books outside.

"We have some good nursing homes left. We will end up in a situation where it's just profit making facilities that don't care for the elderly like the small facilities like Ballard did. I hope at this late stage that the Government can step in and save this for our community," Cllr Dwane Stanley said.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald described the closure as "traumatic".

"This was a very sudden closure of an excellent nursing home in our community. It was very traumatic for residents and staff. It was exemplary. It is very hard on residents and staff to move. I appreciate there are standards but if we all had to meet those standards we would have nowhere to go. Now they are all spread out to different nursing homes. I hope they will be happy and content. It will be hard for all homes to keep up the standard. It's a shame the way it all ended," she said.

The owners of Ballard Lodge made their shock announcement in mid April, citing regulations as part of the reason.

Read also: Laois jobs boost as home care provider announces expansion.

“For many years, we have strived to provide the highest standard of care for our residents, ensuring they receive the respect, dignity and support they deserve. We have been privileged to serve the community and to build strong relationships with residents and their families, who have placed their trust in us. This trust has been upheld by our dedicated staff, whose professionalism, compassion and commitment have been central to the care we provide. We extend our sincere gratitude to every member of our team, past and present, for the unwavering dedication.

"The economic and regulatory landscape in which we have operated has become increasingly challenging, especially for a nursing home of our size. The Fair Deal Scheme, under which we provide care, does not reflect the true cost of delivering high quality, specialised care in today’s environment. Escalating costs, including those related to staffing, medical supplies and essential services such as energy and food, have placed an unsustainable strain on our ability to continue operations.”