Guides for families
Clear explanations of how nursing home care works in Ireland: who pays, what it costs, and how to choose a home quickly. Each guide is based on official information from the HSE, Citizens Information, HIQA and the NTPF, and links to the source.
- The Nursing Home LoanHow the optional Fair Deal loan (ancillary State support) works, when it must be repaid to Revenue, how inflation is added, and who can defer repayment. 6 min read
- Full costs and extrasWhat the Fair Deal price covers, the extra weekly charges homes add for activities and services, your rights under the contract of care, and tax relief on fees. 6 min read
- From hospital to a nursing homeWhat happens when the hospital says your relative can't go home: the care needs assessment, applying for Fair Deal from a ward, transitional care funding and choosing a home. 7 min read
- Choosing at short noticeA practical plan for finding a nursing home bed in days rather than weeks: who to phone, what to ask, what to check in the HIQA report, and how to move later. 6 min read
- Respite and transitional careShort stays in a nursing home: how to arrange respite through the public health nurse, who pays, the Carer's Support Grant, and HSE transitional care funding after hospital. 5 min read
- Reading a HIQA reportWhat HIQA inspects, what compliant, substantially compliant and not compliant mean, the yellow, orange and red risk ratings, and the parts of a report worth reading first. 6 min read