Hiqa report found food at Cork nursing home was ‘unappetising’ 

A resident was found sitting in a dark room, some of the food was reported to be “unappetising”, and a resident was waiting over a month for new glasses in a Youghal nursing home, a Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) report shows.

The inspector noted that there was a “welcoming atmosphere” at Youghal Community Hospital and that residents were well cared for by “knowledgeable and kind staff”.

The centre was marked compliant in three areas, not compliant in one, and substantially compliant in nine.

As found on previous inspections, the dining room was not observed to be in use at tea time, though staff said that up to 12 residents used the room at dinner time, meaning that a number of residents dined in their bedrooms.

“The institutionalised practice of dining by the bedside, in bed or by their living room chairs, had no real rational[e], as the dining room was set up and ready for use,” said the inspector.

In relation to the food, the inspector observed, and one resident commented, “that the modified diets available at the tea time meal were not appetising, or did not look in any way appealing”.

Waiting

Two residents said that it was not easy to get attention at night time, and said they could be waiting for long periods of time for a response to their call bell, or to use the toilet. The inspector found that a damp bed sheet had not been changed.

One resident was found sitting out, with no lights on in the room, though the inspector noted that there were a number of options in the room for lighting.

One resident was waiting over a month for their new glasses, which they required for reading.

The provider said that the chef is willing to engage with residents, which will be addressed at the regular resident meetings.

It said that the resident who was awaiting glasses had received them, adding that this had been followed up on a regular basis by the staff and that the delay was with the supplier.

The provider added that, in future, nightlights will be left on, and that residents will continue to be encouraged and facilitated to use the dining room.