From early on in the fight against the Coronavirus outbreak, the Government’s most challenging issue has been limiting the spread of infection among Ireland’s residential care homes.  In Ireland over 840 people have lost their lives to the virus while living in residential care facilities. This represents over 60% of all COVID-19 related deaths around the country.  It has been no secret that how this continues to be handled, will in years to come,  be one of the lead stories in how we remember the virus on this island.  Episode 27 of Viral: COVID - 19 hear’s first hand about the devastating effect Coronavirus is having in Irish nursing homes and look at what type of future these settings will have in years to come.

One of those to tragically pass away was Rose Hegarty, and 84-year-old resident of St Marys Hospital in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Rose lost her life to the virus after contracting it in the HSE run care facility which caters for 150 residents and has been struck with 24 fatalities so far.  Host Ian Doyle speaks to Rose’s niece Jane Carrigan about their families experience of losing a loved one to COVID 19, and what needs to be done to stop further preventable deaths in Irish care facilities. 

Later in the podcast, Ian speaks with Professor Gerard Quinn, one of Europe’s leading authorities on International Disability Law and Policy.  Gerard discusses why he feels that in a post-COVID 19 society, Nursing Homes must completely cease to exist, and why provisions should be put in favour of community-based care settings for the elderly.

Produced by UrbanMedia

Hosted by Ian Doyle

Music by Psykick

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.