Aperee Living: troubled nursing home group sold after healthcare watchdog raised concerns

A private company that operates a chain of nursing homes has been sold to a group of Irish investors after the healthcare watchdog raised concerns about governance at some of the facilities.

Aperee Living ran 10 nursing homes in the State, but three of those were ordered to close by the Health Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) in September, due to governance shortcomings and concerns for residents’ safety.

The regulator found cases where the company was inappropriately using residents’ funds to cover the running costs of some nursing homes before topping accounts back up, as well as cases where money had not been returned to deceased residents’ estates.

There are around 350 residents living in the seven nursing homes Aperee continues to run across the State.

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Aperee Living was founded by David O’Shea’s Cork-based investments firm, the BlackBee Group. The portfolio has been bought by a consortium led by Paul Kingston, who has 25 years’ experience in the nursing home sector.

In a statement on Tuesday, the company said it “has been sold to a group of Irish investors with a track record in managing and operating nursing homes”.

“The transaction also includes homes in Belgooly, Ballygunner and Callan as well as the partially completed site in Glanmire and the Rochestown site in Cork, which has full planning for a 100 bed nursing home and 47 independent living units,” the statement said.

[ Closure of Aperee nursing home caused ‘most stressful period’ for family ]

[ Documents reveal growing crisis facing Aperee nursing home group ]

Outgoing director of Aperee Living, Mr O’Shea was previously engaged in a High Court legal dispute with Mr Kingston and the company’s chief financial officer over the ownership of nearly €11 million worth of shares.

Speaking about the takeover, Mr Kingston said they are “fully committed to providing the highest standards of care to all residents at the nursing homes we have acquired, prioritising excellent clinical support, dedicated personal care, companionship, daily activities and community events”.

“We are very much looking forward to engaging with all our directors of nursing and their clinical teams, as well as meeting with residents and their families to ensure we deliver a best in class service in the nursing home sector,” he said.

Mr O’Shea said he was “delighted to see the finalisation of this acquisition, which I believe will bring stability and growth to Aperee Living going forward”.

“I would like to take this opportunity to wish Paul and the consortium all the best,” he added.