The Older Persons Services Manager for the North West says the new nursing home unit planned for Carrick-on-Shannon will be far more people centred than the existing building.
Funding for a new 90 bed unit to replace the existing St Patricks Hospital in the Leitrim county town was announced yesterday as part of a package of €130 million euro for Community Healthcare across Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal and Monaghan.
Bigger communal rooms in the development will also have the capacity to open out to the gardens.
Melissa Kelly says the outdoor space is an important element of introducing better facilities for well-being generally.
''It's all about making sure that people do get back out in some way. As well as that it is nice to get that feeling of that you've left the building where you're still going to be accommodated for whatever needs that you need. But I suppose people do like to get out to meet with family and friends and it's taken them out of the actual building. So that's why that was, you know, very much at the center of our focus when we were looking at developing the plans for St. Patrick's.''
Listen to the full interview with Melissa here.
