the care we provide is characterized by knowing that ''feelings matter most''.
We accept a person’s reality; we face the truth; we live in the moment, so our residents can flourish.
We have a different approach to Dementia Care. We have moved from institutionalized task-based care lacking real emotional connection to a model of care where the emotional needs of our residents is at the center of how we approach our day.
Our approach is based on:
Accepting a person’s reality
Make the person feel they matter
Connect and be with people moment by moment
Surround our resident with memories
Remembering that a person with dementia “CAN STILL FEEL”.
Fairfield Nursing Home offers the following types of care:
Fairfield Nursing Home has 49 beds. The home is divided into three “Houses”, named after townlands near the Nursing Home.:
Rockmount House
Deelish House
Dromusta House
This is done to group like-minded people together to enhance the social aspects of group living.
Each house is self-contained with sitting rooms, kitchenette and dining room. This makes for a very warm homely environment.
Each resident has the freedom to choose their own Doctor. We are very lucky to have the facility of doctors calling to Fairfield on a daily basis and also when required.
Chartered physiotherapist call on a weekly basis.
Palliative care services are available to residents as required.
Nutritional and occupational therapist services are available when needed.
All our activities revolve around our residents.
Making our residents feel they matter on a daily basis, connecting with them, making the day full of moments,
which is a core value of the model of care we practice in Fairfield.
The daily activities in Fairfield involve the following, but are not limited to
Arts and Crafts, Bingo, Card Games, Gentle Exercises, Musical Entertainments, Singalongs, Daily Newspapers and Knitting.
We also celebrate birthdays and family occasions.
Children from the local schools visit regularly to sing songs, play music and interact with the residents.
We also have discussions and interaction with staff and residents regarding family and current affairs.
Registered Providers
Sean and Anne took over the ownership of Fairfield Nursing Home in 2001 and, together with the Management and Staff, they have been delivering an excellent quality of care since.
Fairfield Nursing Home is the longest established private Nursing Home in West Cork and in 2013 they embarked on a yearlong training and educational programme involving Dr. David Sheard and his company Dementia Care Matters. His approach has revolutionized how our residents live their lives in our Nursing Home, ensuring that care is delivered with an emphasis on making an emotional connection with our residents and ensuring appropriate occupation throughout the day.
We cannot yet fix dementia as a condition but we can fix our approach.
Sean and Anne continually foster a culture and ethos encompassing a person-centered approach for each resident. They strongly believe in providing a high standard of emotional care, where feelings matter most.
Director of Nursing
With over 17 years of experience in the field of gerontological nursing, Jessily has completed her Nursing degree from India, and has been working in Nursing homes in Ireland since 2005. She worked as a staff nurse with elderly for 5 years. During this period, she realized that her joy lies in serving the elderly, which lead to her pursuing her Post-graduation Diploma in Gerontological Nursing. Since 2010, she has been working as a Director of Nursing.
She completed her Master’s in Nursing Studies from University College, Cork, along with various other courses relevant to her area of work including Infection Control, Care for Elderly with Dementia as well as a Manual and Patient Handling Trainer Certification.
Jessily took over the position of Director of Nursing in Fairfield NH since 2022.
A lot of our day is centered round our dining experience. We place great emphasis on mealtimes and see them as an integral part of our day. All our staff participate in Breakfast, Lunch and Tea and it is a real social occasion.
Ask yourself what is your immediate feeling when you walk into the care home? Is it depressing, stagnant, hospital or hotel-like? Or does it feel full of people getting on with living and is it a place where people really matter?
Think about what the care home looks like? Is it sterile, clinical/boring and empty? Or does it look colourful, busy and engaging? Does it give you the feeling of being at home?
Look around the home; are people being looked after as a group or as individuals? Are people being treated as objects and just as bodies? Or is it clear to you that people’s past lives and memories really matter to the staff team?
Watch how people are spoken to and ask yourself does it feel right? Are people being herded around the home and controlled? Or are staff being close with people and connecting in sensitive ways?
Consider how people are being individually occupied. Does it seem as if the only activities provided are traditional organised events? Or are people getting involved in domestic jobs and bits of their past work lives? Are they surrounded by lots of stuff to occupy themselves with?
Come to your own conclusion about whether people have a sense of well-being and comfort? Do people in the home seem to be in a state of ill-being? Or are people looking happy, content and comfortable?
Listen and ask yourself ‘do the sort of behaviors occurring in the home feel right? Are people expressing lots of ‘behaviors’ and are the staff looking lost at what to do? Or are people’s feelings responded to immediately and staff detect the meaning behind people’s feelings?
Learn whether the home feels family like and has a sense of a shared community. Is there a sense of ‘us and them’ barriers in the home? Or are people living and working alongside each other, more like a family being together?
Conclude if the home is ran on tasks and routines? Has the home got a regimented task-oriented feel? Or does the home and staff feel relaxed where people matter first and jobs still get discreetly done?
Consider if there is an equal emphasis on providing both physical and emotional security? Does the home feel controlling and overly focused on limiting people’s lives? Or are people helped to feel free and safe, while being encouraged to live an ordinary life?
Fairfield Nursing Home is your new home where we will encourage you to live life to your full potential and as independently as before.
We will endeavour to assist you to continue your usual daily routine and accommodate your likes and dislikes in all aspects of your day. From what times you get up to what time you go to bed to your choices of food and your choice of varied activities.
Visitors are always welcome. We will be happy to assist you to provide refreshments to your guests or to have them join you for a meal. You can meet then in your room or any of our sitting rooms. Our staff can arrange other ways of keeping in touch such as telephone, email, Skype or Facebook.
All rooms in Fairfield are private and most have a private bathroom, there is a TV in each room and a phone. We have a chapel for bi-weekly mass and we have several large and comfortable sitting rooms.
You will always be encouraged to go on holiday or visit family overnight.
We at Fairfield try to make the home a happy, lively place to be. Residents can choose their own activity. These may include gardening, cooking, yoga, art, music, crafts/knitting, exercise, meditation or any activity that you may enjoy. As far as possible we will make sure that you continue to enjoy the pastimes you love.
We also give you the chance to try new activities and learn new skills. We are very pro-active in engaging with our local community to bring people and residents together for social outings.
All food at Fairfield is locally sourced and cooked on the premises and served in well appointed dining rooms. So our food is always home made. Our menus are changed daily and offer many choices. We also take into account your dietary requirements. We feel at Fairfield you will enjoy a unique dining experience.
We encourage all Residents at Fairfield to bring in their own possessions and are only too delighted for you to bring in your special and favourite belongings. We want you to have your own personal belongings around you creating a homely environment.
Your view and opinions are very important to us as they help us to ensure that we are providing you with the best of care. We need to know if you are unhappy so we can sort the issue. We have a policy in place on complaint management. This policy is freely available for you to look at.
We hold regular Resident Meetings chaired by our advocate Hilary. This is an opportunity for you to vocally express your wishes, learn about changes, new plans, activities etc. and it is a time for Residents to express and discuss matters of importance to them. If you feel that you cannot express any issues openly at this meeting then our advocate is available to talk privately at a time that suits you.
At Fairfield we believe that all Residents should be assisted to live life to the fullest everyday.
Fairfield is a comfortable, happy, homely and relaxed place. We have specially trained staff, a wide range of activities and opportunities to meet new people and make new friends. Our resident is the most important person.
We at Fairfield have completed successfully several inspections which can be reviewed on the HIQA website.
However if you were concerned about treatment of a loved one you can contact HIQA, Health Information and Quality Authority. HIQA is an independent authority and works to achieve your best interest. If HIQA found that standards were not being met they would take the necessary steps to improve them.
