Majority of residents at closing Cork dementia unit still ‘awaiting transfer’

The majority of residents in the dementia unit at St Stephen’s in Glanmire are still awaiting alternative places, following the decision to close it, a Cork TD has said.

The unit’s closure, to allow the site to provide residential mental health services instead, was announced at the beginning of September.

A HSE spokesperson told The Echo that the planned phased relocation of residents from unit 1 “commenced safely” last week, and that residents would “continue to move to their chosen new homes on an individual basis in the coming days”.

However, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould said that only one of the eight residents has been moved.

Mr Gould said that he was hopeful that residents would not be moved before Christmas, and said there was “thankfully” no official closing date for the unit yet, despite it originally being slated for closure weeks ago.

“The family’s preference is for their loved ones to remain in St Stephen’s,” he said.

Mr Gould added that they met the HSE recently and are considering places in the newly-opened nursing home in Midleton.

“The HSE are also offering the dementia unit in Heather House in Gurranabraher or the new extension in St Finbarr’s Hospital.

“Heather House should have been opened in the last 12 months and St Finbarr’s is meant to be opened in December, but word on the street is that neither will be ready by Christmas,” he said.

“I think one of reasons they’re not opened is the HSE recruitment embargo, but families are waiting now and need clarity.”

He added that there are tens of people across Cork looking for dementia-specific beds. He has called for the seven residents in St Stephen’s to be granted leave to remain there, and the other nine beds in the unit to be utilised.