Kerry lost 37 nursing home beds in 2022.
That’s one of the findings of the Overview Report Monitoring and Regulation of Older Persons Services in 2022, by the health watchdog HIQA.
The Health Information and Quality Authority writes that rural areas have been most impacted by the closure of smaller nursing homes.
HIQA says throughout 2022, the trend of smaller nursing homes closing continued, and this has most impacted rural areas.
14 nursing homes closed across the country in 2022; of these, 12 closed voluntarily, one did not renew registration, and one was closed by the Chief Inspector.
At the end of 2022, Kerry had 37 fewer nursing home beds than at the start of the year.
HIQA also included data on closures from the last five years, to show what it calls the disproportionate impact on some counties, especially in the west of Ireland.
Between 2019 and 2022, Kerry lost 46 nursing home beds.
HIQA says when nursing homes close, there is a significant impact on the residents who live in the centre.
It says this can result in people having to move out of their local area, which can leave them further away from family and friends who are visiting them.
The health watchdog writes this can lead to greater isolation and loneliness at a time when these people are experiencing significant change in their life.
It says the availability of nursing home beds can also have implications for acute and community health and social care services.
