Residents of New Haughton Hospital in New Ross have got excited by new arrivals in the form of five cheerful chicks that hatched from eggs held in an incubator in the lobby of the care facility.

Over a period of weeks, by arrangement with the Nore Valley Park open farm (based in Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny), residents, staff and visitors to New Haughton have been witness to the placement of eggs in the incubator and develop to the stage where five chicks emerged from their shells and are now being looked after until their return to the farm at the end of this month.

Speaking about an exercise by its Activities Team that has brought much joy to the 42-bed residential care facility, Margaret Nowlan O’ Neill (Director of Nursing, New Haughton Hospital + The Health Living Centre for day care and other services) said; “The holistic well-being of our patients are a priority for us here in New Haughton. We have a rolling programme of activities designed to help enhance the quality of our residents’ lives. Having the chicks here is part of that on-going efforts to make days as meaningful and purposeful as we can.

“It’s a good news story, coming in the same week as we begin a programme of upgrading works to the interior of the hospital. This is home to 42 people and all of us here between, Catering, Cooking, Household, Laundry, Administrative Support, Maintenance and Gardening, Healthcare and Multi Task Assistant, Nursing and other clinical staff have a great relationship with residents and their families and we are rewarded with wonderful moments like these.”

Nurse Antoinette Carberry, the Activities Team Co-Ordinator at New Haughton, speaking as residents and staff interacted with the new born chicks, said; “It’s a lovely sight. The chicks have been a brilliant activity for everyone. It’s another of the things we do as part of a lively programme for New Haughton’s valued residents – such as bingo, art therapy, music, sing songs, day trips from and visits by guests to the hospital, baking, growing tomatoes in the poly tunnel in the garden and so on. We have also started digital training.”

“This latest project underlines the very happy atmosphere maintained here. We look forward to continuing our Activities Programme, as part of the dedicated team of staff in the New Haughton that are doing their best, every day of the year, to deliver the best possible community healthcare services within available resources,” concluded Nurse Carberry.

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