Yesterday, families linked to a HSE nursing home in Dublin protested against plans to transfer residents “like a piece of furniture” to a private facility while works take place.

At the end of the day closures, public or private, ripple through communities.

In recent times, dozens of residents in rural Cork, Waterford, and Kilkenny had to suddenly move when Aperee Living closed centres in the wake of scathing Hiqa reports.

Majella Beattie of advocacy group Care Champions says some residents have to move up to 40 miles away.

I was often told by family members that their loved one had experienced transfer trauma and was in hospital. There’s been quite a negative effect. 

Of the ESRI report, she says: “Older people appear not to be a priority of Government. It’s poor value for enormous sums of public money where we are funding large profit-driven multinational organisations to warehouse older people.” 

Sandra Farrell, co-owner of three Tipperary nursing homes with less than 30 beds each, said while reforms are happening, a lot more help is needed.

“It’s a big step going into a nursing home because you are leaving your home,” she said.

What people want to experience is a home-from-home environment but if you’re going into a 150-bed nursing home, that is not home-from-home. 

Referring to one of their Ormond Healthcare sites, she said: “If my residents in St Theresa’s nursing home go outside the gate, someone will know them and they will have the chat, that’s what it’s about — growing old in your community.” 

She was among owners who met Minister of State for Older People Mary Butler recently to discuss funding.

“I wasn’t surprised with the figures,” she said of the report, adding her “big concerns” are differences in funding for urban vs rural homes, and private vs public homes.

However, she sees the National Treatment Purchase Fund which manages this funding as “changing their model”.

Some rural sites received significant increases in the current round of funding compared to the last decade, she said.

In Dublin, passing cars beeped in support as families of residents at Cherry Orchard Hospital protested against transfers from some units while structural issues with flooring are addressed.

Ann Sweeney, whose father John, 96, is a resident, explained that the site offers a higher level of care than is usual.

“There are doctors on site 24/7, they can provide IV drips, they can provide drips for hydration and medication,” she said.

She is extremely frustrated the modular buildings appear not to have been maintained.

“My dad worked very hard for the people of Ballyfermot back in the day, so one of the bonus points of coming here was I could say ‘Daddy you’re still in Ballyfermot’,” she said.

Likewise Christine Marten, whose mother has dementia, said: “My mam has received great care here, and the continuity care is very, very important; the carers know all her needs.” 

The shock to her system of being moved into a private facility, I firmly believe it would just hasten her death.

The hospital’s multi-disciplinary team, in a document released to families, told Hiqa the move poses “a high clinical risk for residents with potential high mortality”.

Hiqa said: “The HSE has committed to the chief inspector to addressing all identified risks as quickly as possible, and that residents will be offered the choice of returning as soon as possible following completion of the works.” 

The minister recently opened a public consultation on design of nursing homes, a spokesman said.

“Minister Butler is fully aware of the important role smaller and voluntary nursing homes play in their communities, and conscious they may not have access to the same economies of scale as larger homes or groups,” he said.

A HSE spokeswoman said: "The decision to temporarily close the Willow and Sycamore Units in Cherry Orchard Hospital is to address the current safety risks associated with the flooring in these units and to enable permanent remedial works to be completed."

She said plans to keep residents on site while works were carried out were assessed and found not suitable.

All residents will be invited to return to Cherry Orchard once the renovation works have been completed. 

"The project design team has advised that the project timeline for completion of works will be 12 months," she said.