Dementia Specific Respite

Our Dementia Specific Respite Service is led by Mary Byrne, Respite Co-coordinator. Mary can be contacted on:

T: 014986296

E: mbyrne@olh.ie

Anna Gaynor House currently has two dementia specific respite beds. These are dementia specific and prospective patients must have a diagnosis of dementia. Anna Gaynor House does not provide general respite services. Respite services are aimed at helping patients to maintain their functional ability and may also be used in order to enable the carer(s) to take a short break, a holiday or a rest.

Access to respite care is based on assessed needs, which also takes into account carer needs and available community resources. It is acknowledged that respite care is not suitable in meeting the needs of every client and/or their family. Each admission to respite care is critically reviewed in terms of benefit to the client and/or their family. The outcome of this review should form the basis for further respite being offered or an alternate support being recommended.

Anna Gaynor House provides residential respite care which is planned and may be provided in a block of one or two weeks to clients with a diagnosis of dementia and deemed to have high care needs following a formal assessment. Generally, respite care for the duration of up to 2 weeks is offered once or twice per year up to a total of 30 days in any 12 month period.

Should a patient be unfit for discharge at the end of their respite stay we do not have capacity to maintain the patient in Anna Gaynor House. If unfit for discharge the patient may be transferred to another facility or an onward referral to an appropriate service will be facilitated.