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Nursing home staff waiting nearly a week for COVID-19 results

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By Sean Moriarty

 

Concerns have been raised about the length of time it takes for the results of COVID-19 tests to be returned to residents and staff at Killarney Nursing Home.

Residents, staff, and family members were left waiting six days for results after a suspected case of the disease was identified at the Rock Road care facility.

On Monday of last week (January 18) there was one suspected case of Coronavirus at the nursing home.

On the same day every resident and staff member was tested and the nominated family contact of the resident was informed that testing had commenced.

However, it was the following Saturday before family members were informed that all tests had returned negative.

Several family members contacted local TD Michael Healy-Rae concerned that life was continuing as normal at the care home despite a potential COVID-19 case there.

According to Deputy Healy-Rae, they were angry that they were left uninformed between Monday and Saturday, and that either staff or residents there, if positive, could have led to a larger outbreak at the home.

“It was a lot of stress and a big concern to the families,” he told the Killarney Advertiser.

Mr Healy-Rae said that he accepted that the entire medical sector was under pressure and that it would not be fair to place blame on the HSE in this instance.

Instead, priority should be given to healthcare workers as they will need results back quicker.

“It was a very genuine case for these families,” he said. “I spoke to the HSE and I would be hopeful that if there is a suspected case in such settings that test results would be prioritised.”

In the meantime, all residents of the Killarney Nursing Home received their vaccination on Wednesday of this week.

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Chamber pays tribute to late Dick Henggeler

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee. Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has expressed condolences following the death of Dick Henggeler, the well-known owner of The Rose Hotel in Tralee.

Mr Henggeler passed away peacefully at his home in Baltimore, USA surrounded by his Aghadoe-born wife Eibhlin (née Moriarty), their son Franz, and other family members.
Dick and Eibhlin purchased The Rose Hotel in 2015 in tribute to their late daughter Dorothy, who represented Washington DC in the 2011 Rose of Tralee Festival.
The Chamber said Mr Henggeler would be remembered for his warmth, good nature and positive approach, as well as for being a forward-thinking and knowledgeable businessman.
“He knew how to run a good hotel and that was and still is very obvious at The Rose Hotel, which is a great success story,” the Chamber said.
It added that continuity of ownership will remain in place, with Eibhlin, Franz, daughter-in-law Amber, and grandchildren Conrad and Rowan continuing to honour Dick’s legacy and vision for the hotel.
“Dick took enormous personal pride in Tralee and all of Kerry and he was always available to generously support any community initiative or endeavour undertaken in Killarney,” the Chamber said.
“He will be greatly missed by all that knew him but he leaves a wonderful legacy.”

He will repose at O’Shea’s Funeral Home, Killarney, on Friday (October 17), from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. The funeral will arrive at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday morning at 10:00am for Requiem Mass at 10:30am, with burial afterwards in Aghadoe Cemetery. The Requiem Mass will be live streamed at https://www.churchservices.tv/killarneycathedral.

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Beaufort Film Night returns with French drama-comedy

Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band. The film tells the story of Thibaut, […]

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Beaufort Film Night will return on Friday (October 17) at Cullina National School, with a screening of the French drama-comedy The Marching Band.

The film tells the story of Thibaut, a successful conductor recently diagnosed with leukaemia. A search for a bone marrow donor reveals that he was adopted and has a brother, Jimmy, a cafeteria worker.
The two meet, discover a shared love of music, and form a strong bond through an unexpected collaboration with Jimmy’s workplace band.
The Marching Band (French title En Fanfare) will screen at 8.30pm. Admission is €7, cash only, and will cover the motion picture licence fee.
The film has a 12A rating and is in French with English subtitles.
Beaufort Film Night is a non-profit community group that screens cultural English and international films that usually do not receive general release in Kerry.
The event is supported by Kerry County Council Arts Office and Access Cinema. Cullina National School is providing the venue.
Further details are available on Beaufort Film Night’s Facebook page @BeaufortFilmNight.

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