Parnell Place Transformation - RehabCare

Parnell Place Residences, located in the heart of Limerick City, is a purpose-built, inclusive living environment developed through a partnership between RehabCare and Newgrove Housing Association. This award-winning service, recognised as Residential Care Home of the Year at the Irish Healthcare Centre Awards, showcases best practice in delivering comprehensive support for independent living to adults with physical, sensory, intellectual disabilities and/or mental health difficulties.

Parnell Place offers a unique and innovative model that blends HIQA-registered residential care with supported and independent living in a community-based setting. The development is made up of a variety of accommodation types, including fully accessible apartments, a townhouse, and shared living spaces—all adapted to individual needs and equipped with assistive technology. This flexible model enables residents to transition between support levels as their needs and preferences evolve, supporting independence without compromising safety.

Central to the success of Parnell Place is its person-centred ethos. Each resident is supported through an individualised plan built around their goals and choices. They are empowered to lead meaningful lives with access to community activities, education, employment, and social opportunities. Located close to public transport and city amenities, the residences enable easy integration into the broader community.

Resident and stakeholder engagement is fundamental to the service design and delivery. Ongoing consultation ensures supports are responsive and aligned with each person’s aspirations. Input from residents, family members, the HSE (for funding), and the local authority (regarding housing provision) has been essential in shaping the project.

Staff play a vital role in this model. RehabCare has mobilised a highly skilled, well-trained team to deliver person-centred care, with access to ongoing training in areas such as Autism Awareness, Epilepsy Management, and supported decision-making. A collaborative management structure across the site ensures continuity, quality, and consistent support.

The success of Parnell Place is further supported by robust compliance systems, including regular audits, reflective practices, and adherence to HIQA and organisational quality standards. The service aligns with legislation such as the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act, reinforcing residents’ rights to make their own life choices with appropriate support.

Winning the Irish Healthcare Centre Award reflects the service’s innovation, community integration, and unwavering commitment to the principles of independent living. Parnell Place has not only created a safe and inclusive environment—it has provided a model of how rights-based, flexible, and person-led supports can transform lives and foster genuine independence for people with disabilities.

Target group

• People with Disabilities

  Intellectual disabilities

  Physical disabilities

  Sensory disabilities

  Dual diagnosis (e.g., disability and mental health needs)

• People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

  Including individuals with additional complex or behavioural support needs

• People with Mental Health Difficulties

  Including those with enduring mental illness or psychosocial challenges

• Older Adults

  Especially those with support needs related to ageing or cognitive decline

• People with Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI)

• Individuals with Complex Needs

  Those requiring multidisciplinary supports across health, social care, and community sectors

• Families and Carers

  Through respite care, advocacy, and family support services

Methodologies and approaches

Parnell Place Residences exemplify a progressive and inclusive approach to supporting people with disabilities to live independently. Developed through a partnership between RehabCare and Newgrove Housing Association, the initiative was built around extensive consultation with residents, families, and other stakeholders. It offers a unique blended model of HIQA-registered residential care, supported living, and independent accommodation all within one integrated community.

Central to the approach is Person-Centred Planning (PCP), where each resident’s individual goals, abilities, and preferences guide the support they receive. These plans are reviewed regularly through key working and family engagement to ensure they remain aligned with residents' evolving aspirations.

A core principle of Parnell Place is supporting independence with flexibility. The structure allows individuals to move between accommodation types as their needs change without disrupting their community ties. Assistive technology within many of the apartments empowers residents to access staff only when needed, promoting autonomy while ensuring safety.

The management model is collaborative, with multiple service managers and staff teams working seamlessly across the site. This allows for consistent, high-quality support regardless of staffing changes or varying care needs.

The physical environment has been designed to resemble a natural neighbourhood, including domestic-style apartments, communal gardens, and shared social areas. These features foster peer support, friendships, and community participation.

The location, in the centre of vibrant and growing city, promotes community engagement and active citizenship. Residents are encouraged and supported to engage in education, employment, recreation, and social activities. Programmes include music therapy, community outings, fitness classes, and access to local amenities. Residents also share information about events and opportunities, promoting shared learning and social inclusion.

Parnell Place represents a best-practice model in enabling people with disabilities to live with dignity, choice, and purpose demonstrating how tailored support within an inclusive community can create lasting independence and wellbeing.

Innovation and creativity

Parnell Place Residences is a unique and innovative model that blends residential care, supported accommodation, and independent living within one integrated community. This flexible design enables residents to transition between levels of support based on their needs and preferences without having to leave their familiar environment.

A resident-led culture drives day-to-day life, with individuals shaping their own routines, activities, and goals. All units are fully equipped domestic settings, enhanced by assistive technology that promotes independence while ensuring support is always available when needed.

Creative use of shared spaces and intentional community design fosters social inclusion, neighbourliness, and natural peer support. Staff work across the site flexibly under a collaborative management model, ensuring continuity of care and responsiveness.

Innovation also extends to staff development through RehabCare’s "Revitalise" wellbeing programme and structured career progression pathways, improving retention and staff morale.

Proactively embracing future regulatory changes, Parnell Place is already adapting its governance and compliance frameworks to maintain high-quality care in line with new home care standards without compromising resident autonomy.

This resident-led, inclusive, and adaptable approach makes Parnell Place a standout example of what modern, person-centred care can look like.

Support to Independent Living

Parnell Place Residences provides a leading example of comprehensive, person-centred support for independent living within a fully integrated, urban community setting. The model combines residential care, supported accommodation, and independent living options all on one inclusive site offering residents the freedom to choose the level of support that best meets their individual needs.

Support is underpinned by Person-Centred Planning (PCP), enabling residents to live according to their own goals and preferences. Care and assistance are flexible and adaptable, allowing individuals to transition between support levels based on their current needs.

Each self-contained apartment is designed for accessibility, with assistive technology empowering residents to manage their lives independently while still having access to staff when required. This ensures autonomy, dignity, and safety, with support that is responsive but non-intrusive.

The location of Parnell Place at the heart of Limerick City further promotes independence by providing residents with access to public transport, education, employment, health services, and recreational activities. Community integration is a key feature of the model, with shared gardens, social areas, and communal activities fostering natural relationships and social inclusion.

Staff are trained across multiple specialisms, and support is coordinated through a shared management approach, ensuring continuity and quality of care.

Parnell Place demonstrates how a well-designed, inclusive environment combined with personalised support and flexible service delivery can enable people with disabilities to live full, independent lives as active members of their community.

Staff and resources

To deliver comprehensive support for independent living, Parnell Place mobilised a diverse and highly skilled workforce, supported by robust infrastructure and tailored resources. Four dedicated service managers oversee the site, working collaboratively to ensure consistent, person-centred care across all accommodation types.

Staff teams include professionals trained in areas such as disability support, autism awareness, medication management, mental health, training designed to manage risk behaviours, personal and intimate care, epilepsy management, and the use of assistive technology amongst others. Training is both mandatory and specialist, ensuring staff can respond effectively to the complex and varied needs of residents. Continuous professional development is encouraged and supported through RehabCare’s structured learning pathways.

Resources include fully accessible apartments, equipped with assistive technology, private kitchens, laundry facilities, and adjustable fittings to meet physical and sensory needs. The site also benefits from secure access systems, communal gardens, and social spaces, fostering both safety and inclusion.

Infrastructure, technology, and staff expertise are aligned to promote independence, dignity, and community participation delivering high-quality support in a home-like, empowering environment.

Identifying specific needs

Resident and stakeholder engagement was central to the development and ongoing success of Parnell Place Residences. From the initial planning stages through to daily operations, identifying and responding to the needs, wishes, and aspirations of residents has been a core guiding principle.

Engagement was conducted through consultation with the individuals, their families, support staff, health professionals, the Health Service Executive and local authorities. These discussions helped shape the design, support models, and service delivery ensuring the complex reflected not only practical needs but also the personal goals and values of those it was built to serve.

Residents are continually involved in shaping their own support through Person-Centred Planning and key-working meetings, where their preferences regarding, daily routines, community activities, and future aspirations are explored and acted upon. Regular house meetings, satisfaction surveys, and open communication channels ensure feedback is both welcomed and acted upon.

Stakeholders, including housing associations, local services, and families, remain actively involved through collaborative planning, reviews, and ongoing dialogue in line with the persons wishes. This inclusive approach ensures services remain relevant, adaptive, and deeply rooted in the real-life experiences of those who use them.

Engaging residents as partners not just service users has resulted in a truly empowering and flexible living environment that supports independence, inclusion, and long-term well-being.

Other stakeholders and partners

Resident and stakeholder engagement has been fundamental to the success of Parnell Place Residences, ensuring that the model is not only person-centred but also responsive to the broader needs of the community and the systems that support it. In addition to resident voices, other stakeholder partnerships were instrumental. The Health Service Executive (HSE) played a vital role by providing funding to support the delivery of care and support services on site. Their involvement ensured that the support models developed were sustainable, regulated where appropriate, and met national health and social care standards. HSE funding has also helped facilitate the recruitment and training of a skilled workforce, adapted to the complex and diverse needs of the residents.

The local authority, through collaboration with Newgrove Housing Association, was key in addressing the housing element of the initiative. Their input ensured that the development complied with housing regulations, was accessible, and addressed broader community integration goals. Their support helped secure a central city location, which has proven invaluable in enabling access to transport, amenities, education, and employment critical factors in supporting true independent living.

These partnerships demonstrate a joined-up approach across health, housing, and social care sectors, ensuring that all elements physical environment, funding, support services, and community integration work in harmony. The ongoing collaboration between residents, families, RehabCare, the HSE, the local authority, and other community groups ensures the service remains responsive, empowering, and sustainable. In essence, the success of Parnell Place lies in its co-produced design and delivery, where the voices of residents are central, and stakeholders work collectively to create a community that enables people with disabilities to live with independence, dignity, and choice.