Residents given the VIP treatment at St Eunan's nursing home

placeholder image — Staff from St Eunan's nursing home

Since completing the Caru program delivered by the Irish Hospice Foundation, staff at St Eunan's nursing home are now more confident and competent in having these important discussions with residents and their families

Maureen Catterson, Clinical Nurse Manager from St Eunan’s Nursing Home in Letterkenny, recently spoke at Irish Hospice Foundation’s End of Life Forum on Dying and Grieving Well in our Communities about an initiative they have implemented in their nursing home called Resident’s Day

Residents are treated as a VIP every day at St Eunan’s but as a special initiative, every six to eight weeks, each resident has a day where they are the centre of attention. This special day includes their favourite foods prepared by the chef, their favourite activities organised by the activities coordinator, and most importantly, the updating of their care plans, including their end-of-life care wishes.

Since completing the Caru program delivered by the Irish Hospice Foundation, staff at the nursing home are now more confident and competent in having these important discussions with residents and their families.

The initiative received a positive response at the Irish Hospice Foundation’s Forum on End of Life, with attendees praising it as "an excellent resident-centred incentive to focus on End-of-Life Care."

St Eunan’s Nursing Home is a family-owned and run establishment on the outskirts of Letterkenny town, was opened in 2004 and continues to prioritise the well-being and dignity of its residents.

Maureen Catterson presenting at IHF Forum on End of Life 2024

St Eunan’s is one of 146 nursing homes which have taken part to date in the Caru programme across the country.

Caru is a continuous learning programme developed by the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF), in partnership with the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC), and the HSE. Caru aims to support Care and Compassion at End of Life in Nursing Homes.

It is aimed at supporting and empowering staff in the delivery of palliative, end-of-life and bereavement care, leading in turn to enhanced quality of life for residents, a good death, easing the bereavement process for their families. The Caru Programme is free for all nursing homes, both public and private to participate and is planning to engage with a further 127 nursing homes for Quality Improvement workshops in 2024. For more information, see the Caru website.