Medical Professionals Area

Our Community Rehabilitation Unit (CRU) is a step-up unit for anyone aged 65 years of age and over whose GP considers they would benefit from rehabilitation support including daily physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and access to a medical social worker. This is a unique service as patients are admitted from home for generally a two week stay.

Our typical CRU patient may have had a fall, deterioration in general health, newly diagnosed illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, anxiety or low mood. They may need a multidisciplinary team approach to enable them to continue to live independently in their own home.

The service involves coming into the unit as an in-patient, where a rehabilitation care programme will be designed according to the patient’s particular needs.

We accept referrals from individuals who:

• Are currently living at home.
• Are aged 65 years and older.
• Live in Dublin Central, Dublin South Central and Dublin West.
• Have a strong desire to remain living at home.
• Are experiencing functional decline in their daily activities.
• Are experiencing joint problems, stiffness and pain.
• Are experiencing falls and have decreased mobility, balance and confidence.
• Can move from a sitting to a standing position independently and who can mobilise independently with the use of a mobility aid.
• Are of a sufficiently high level of general health that will allow full participation in our rehabilitation programme (i.e. daily aerobic gym programme).
• Are cognitively able to take on new information.
  

Please note: Where post-operative joint replacement rehabilitation is concerned, the patient must be two months post knee replacement surgery and three months post hip replacement surgery.

Referrals for admission to CRU are accepted from:

Referrals for admission to CRU are accepted by Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services from:

• Primary Care Team
• General Practitioners
• Medicine for the Elderly and Home First ED team St James’s Hospital
• Geriatricians in Tallaght University Hospital.

N.B. The prospective patient’s referral form must be signed by their own GP or Consultant Geriatrician.

Following referral, individuals will require a pre-assessment review with a Consultant Geriatrician and the CRU Clinical Nurse Specialist. This assessment will be organised by the CRU Clinical Nurse Specialist. Admissions to the CRU Service will be determined following a multidisciplinary team admissions meeting and final acceptance by the CRU Consultant Geriatrician

Referrals should be directed to:

Clinical Nurse Specialist
CRU
Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services
Harold’s Cross
Dublin 6W

Phone: 01-498 6232

Mobile Numbers: 085 7110361 or 087 2985053
Email: cru@olh.ie

If, having read the above, you feel that your patient is suitable to be referred to CRU, you can access the CRU referral form below.