Staff celebrate as rehab unit at Cork hospital gets age-friendly recognition

The St Finbarr's Hospital rehabilitation unit in Cork has been internationally recognised as an age-friendly health system by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).

The IHI designated the unit at the hospital as being committed to care excellence, in recognition of the unit's commitment to providing the best possible care for older people.

The 70-bed inpatient rehabilitation unit on the hospital campus achieved the international recognition after successfully embedding the age-friendly health system's 4Ms framework throughout the service.

The essential elements of the 4Ms framework include what matters, medication, mind and mobility.

Staff incorporated the 4Ms into everyday practice through education programmes, updated documentation, service improvements and ongoing audit activity.

Data gathered over several months showed that the framework had become fully integrated into patient care. The unit received support from the age-friendly health system's south west programme, which is leading efforts to integrate age-friendly care across services and support HSE South West's ambition to become Ireland's first age-friendly health region.

Máire Fitzgerald, senior physiotherapist at St Finbarr’s rehabilitation unit, said everyone involved is delighted to receive the recognition.

“It reflects our team's dedication and our shared commitment to providing the best possible care for older people,” she said.

"The 4Ms framework helps us ensure that the care we provide is person centred, evidence-based and aligned with what matters most to each individual."

The recognition for St Finbarr's rehabilitation unit comes in the same year it celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of caring for older people across Cork and beyond.