Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) Announces 2026 Care Award Winners
Friday November 6, 202613 winners announced at Croke Park in a celebration of excellence in care from nursing homes across Ireland.
Friday 6th November: Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) is delighted to announce the winners of the NHI Care Awards 2026, in association with Homecare Medical, after a fantastic Gala Event last night the Hogan Suite, Croke Park Stadium, Dublin.
The NHI Care Awards recognises and celebrates the exceptional care, dedication, and compassion demonstrated by nursing home staff across Ireland who support over 27,000 residents in more than 400 nursing homes. These Awards highlight the diversity of nursing home care, recognising excellence in nursing, care assistance, activities coordination, culinary services, end-of-life care, dementia care, and innovative practice. This prestigious national event honours the individuals and teams who go above and beyond in their daily work, enriching the lives of older people and ensuring residents receive person-centred care that enables them to live with dignity, purpose, and connection.
This year, we saw a record-breaking number of submissions, with over 300 nominations made for the Care Awards, representing the depth and breadth of excellence throughout Ireland’s nursing home sector. 31 finalists from 15 counties were shortlisted (across 12 award categories) following the deliberations of our expert independent judging panel. The NHI Care Awards 2026 Winners were announced at a Gala Dinner Event in front of over 335 people from across the nursing home sector in a night that celebrated excellence in nursing, care assistance, activities coordination, culinary services, end-of-life care, dementia care, and innovative practice.
Celebrating Ireland’s Care Heroes
The awards recognise excellence across multiple categories:
Five Dedicated Awards (three finalists in each, one winner selected):
- Director of Nursing
- Quality Enhancement Award
- Administrator of the Year – Olivia Slater Award
- Resident Achievement Award
- Team of the Year
Seven General Awards (15 finalists shortlisted, seven winners selected)
One Overall Award (selected from all 300+ entries across every category)
Speaking about the NHI Care Awards 2026, Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, said: “The annual NHI Care Awards represent a vital opportunity to shine a light on the extraordinary people working across Ireland’s nursing home care sector. Every day, thousands of dedicated professionals – nurses, healthcare assistants, activity coordinators, chefs, and support staff – demonstrate remarkable compassion, skill, and commitment to enhancing the lives of older people in their care. These awards are our opportunity for us, as a sector, to say Thank You, to these dedicated care givers. It allows us to recognise that the care being provided in nursing homes across the country is not just a job, but a vocation driven by genuine care for our older people. With over 300 nominations submitted from across the country, judged down to 31 finalists from 15 counties to the fantastic 13 Care Award Winners, this year’s awards showcase the nationwide excellence that defines Irish nursing home care. From Directors of Nursing leading clinical innovation, and entire nursing home teams transforming dementia care, to individuals going that extra mile every day – each of our 13 winners, and indeed all our 31 finalists represent the very best of our sector.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
About the NHI Care Awards: The NHI Care Awards, held in association with Homecare Medical, are the premier national celebration of excellence in nursing home care in Ireland. The awards promote best practice within the nursing home sector and provide an opportunity to pay tribute to individuals and teams demonstrating outstanding excellence and dedication in their work. For more information about the awards, and to see the list of the NHI Care Awards 2026 Winners, visit www.nhicareawards.com.
About the Care Awards Expert Judging Panel: An expert, independent judging panel, led by Professor Amanda Phelan from the School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health at DCU, alongside Paula O’Reilly, CEO of the Irish Hospice Foundation, and Andy Heffernan, CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, selected the finalists based on compassion, innovation, dedication, and impact on residents’ quality of life.
About Nursing Homes Ireland: Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) is the national representative body for the private and voluntary nursing home sector, encompassing over 400 nursing homes across Ireland, which provide care to over 27,000 people. Our mission is to actively support and represent our members, enabling them to deliver sustainable, high-quality, choice-led care to their residents. As the voice of nursing home sector, we are dedicated to championing a care-first philosophy. We actively advocate for the rights and well-being of residents, while responding to the evolving needs and challenges faced by our Members as care providers.
For further information, please contact: Ronan Lowther | Policy and Communications Lead (NHI) | E: communications@nhi.ie