Navan man’s plan to open respite centre for people with physical and sensory disabilities

A SOCIAL entrepreneur from Navan who is hoping to open a respite centre for people with disabilities, is appealing for anyone who could provide him with a premises with five bedrooms or more to get in contact.

Mark Dowdall who has worked as a health care worker for more than seven years, is very much aware of the scarcity of respite care across the country.

He has been working with the Local Enterprise Office in planning the business.

“I started a business course with LEO and my mentor, Glen Anderson offered me mentorship and to plan a strategy to open a respite centre for people with physical and sensory disabilities.

“My biggest problem is looking for a premises.

“I have everything ready to go if I had a premises. There is a team in place. I gave a clinical nurse manager, health care workers and a business plan.

“I will look at anywhere in Meath and I need a minimum of five bedrooms.

“They will have to be to HIQA standards with en-suites and wash rooms.”

Mark is very experienced in health care work and for the past even years he has been working with a man with Locked-in Syndrome, who has no use of his body, but is fully mentally aware.

“He has a good quality of life and I enjoy the work.”

Mark explains that he was originally a painter and decorator, but has found great satisfaction in health care work, since he started working as a carer seven years ago.

“It is very fulfilling.”

Mark says that while training as a health care worker, he saw the importance of respite care, and became aware of how few facilities there are.

“During lockdown, there was a lot of talk about respite care. I looked at what was available and saw the need for that kind of facility.”

If anybody has a premises that would be suitable, they can contact Mark at dowdallmark1@gmail.com

Cllr Eddie Fennessy said Mark's plan to open a local Respite Centre would be a huge boost to care services in the county.

“There are huge deficiencies in the sensory care sector in particular, a new unit would provide welcome relief to service users across the county.

"Given the current climate, finding a suitable premises is probably the most difficult barrier Mark will encounter. I appeal to anyone out there with a large property to make contact with Mark as soon as possible.

“This is a very important project, your help would be greatly appreciated by a huge number of families in Meath."