THE OWNER of a Kilkenny nursing home who is accused of reckless abandonment of residents and theft of money from clients has been managing a nursing home in Melbourne, Australia.
Miriam Holmes managed the 90-bed nursing home until recently and is still listed as an employee on the care home’s website.
Her daughter, Hayley, listed as a clinical care co-ordinator, has also worked at the same home.
The two women were directors of the Avondale nursing home, which was closed last July following serious concerns over the safety and health of residents by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa).
The Garda is also investigating allegations that they stole several thousand euro, medication and public service cards from residents.
The pair have not been seen since boarding a bus heading for Dublin Airport on July 22nd last, the day after the home was closed.
Neither the Craigcare group – which owns the nursing home – nor Ms Holmes were available for comment yesterday. However, one employee, who declined to be named, said Ms Holmes had left the organisation in recent weeks.
In a company newsletter dated summer 2011, Miriam Holmes is listed as “facility manager” for Plumpton Villa in the residential area of Glenroy, just outside Melbourne. The building is a 90-bed nursing home which provides 45 low-care and 45 high-care rooms.
In a note introducing herself, Ms Holmes says: “I have been in aged care management for over 25 years in England and Ireland, as well as working as a nursing home inspector in London . . . New CCC Hayley and I are both in the process of completing masters degrees in dementia care.”
The Craigcare website currently states that the facility is run by “an experienced and wonderfully caring team of nursing and allied health professionals”.
It adds: “Miriam and her team will ensure that your stay with us is a rewarding one that is guided by our core values of passion, respect, warmth, attentiveness and a genuine pleasure in serving our residents and their loved ones.”
The Garda is still seeking to speak with both women over allegations and care breaches.
They left the country last July after care breaches at Avondale emerged. Gardaí found a guide on beginning life in Australia in their hotel room near Dublin airport, where they stayed the night on July 21st.
Gardaí are continuing to investigate allegations from several residents that money was stolen from them.
Under the 2007 Health Act, the authority may bring prosecutions against nursing home owners who breach care regulations. The maximum fine is €70,000 or a two-year prison term.
