'Home from home' Limerick day care centre reopens it doors

THERE will be a sense of normality returning in Cappamore this week when St Michael’s Day Care Centre reopens its doors for the first time in a year and a half.

It is a home from home for many elderly people in east Limerick who came every week for fun, dinners, medical care, music, dancing and lots more.

But this Wednesday, August 11, the doors of St Michael’s will be flung open to service users. They will get to see friends and staff they haven’t seen since March 2020.

Since it closed due to the pandemic, management and staff kept that community spirit alive with their marvelous meals on wheels service.

This service was rolled out immediately when the need to close the centre to patrons was announced. Existing service users and others could avail of this essential service.

A freshly cooked nutritious meal was delivered to those who requested it by the day care centre bus driver and staff member. This service was certainly a lifeline to people during the months of closure. Unfortunately, with the re-opening of the centre to patrons this service now has to be suspended.  

In addition to the meals on wheels service the management undertook a complete facelift of the centre during the months of closure. The whole facility has been freshly painted. New furniture and fittings have been put in place and so the centre is spick and span and up to the minute in terms of décor ready to welcome patrons back.

Of course all these improvements were made through the lens of HSE recommendations to ensure the health and safety of both patrons and staff. New policies and procedures have been put in place in-keeping with all HSE guidelines.

The staff is more than willing, ready and able to undertake extra work to ensure the safe running of the centre. St Michael’s Day Care Centre is blessed in having good wide corridors to ensure safe access and egress. The dining room and sitting room are very spacious so social distancing will not be a problem. All activities will be in the low risk category. Hairdressing and chiropody will be guided by HSE requirements also.

Anyone requiring further information on St Michael’s Day Care Centre may contact the manager,  Liz Grant on 061 381034.