Nursing homes must maintain clear communication with residents and their families in relation to the future of services.
That's the view of Sarah Lennon from Sage Advocacy Service, a group that aims to highlight the rights, freedoms and dignity of those in residential or healthcare settings.
The advice comes as Roscommon saw the closure of three family run care centres in the last month.
Costello's Care Home in Ballyleague, Stella Maris Nursing Home in Baylough and Tearmainn Bhride in Brideswell have either shut or have announced their intention to.
The spate of closures have left residents across the Shannonside Region worried over the future of their own facilities according to reports.
Speaking to the Joe Finnegan show today, Sarah from Sage Advocacy Service says clear communication with families and residents is imperative:
Without good communication, surprises can happen i suppose.
I think making sure that you're in regular contact.
Nursing home providers, many of whom have excellent communication channels, don't necessarily provide direct information about the resident.
But maybe provide updates to a family newsletter etc.
It's just a really simple way to make sure that everyone is kept in the loop about small and maybe significant changes coming down the line.
