St. Michael’s House is proud to share that we have won the Irish Healthcare Centre Awards 2026 in the category of Healthcare Initiative for Disability Services for our project:
“Sarcopenia, Strength and Nutrition Intervention Programme for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities”
This innovative pilot programme was developed in response to the growing challenge of sarcopenia within the ageing intellectual disability population. Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle strength and mass associated with ageing and can have a significant impact on mobility, independence, health and overall quality of life.
The six-month evidence-based programme was developed through collaboration between the Physiotherapy and Dietetics Departments within St. Michael’s House. The project combined targeted nutritional education with structured strength-based exercise to support muscle health, mobility, physical function and wellbeing for adults with intellectual disabilities.
The pilot demonstrated very positive outcomes, including meaningful improvements in physical performance, strong engagement from participants, and excellent potential for sustainability and wider rollout across services.
This award-winning initiative reflects St. Michael’s House Strategic Goal 4 — Learning from and Influencing the Sector, Government and Society — through innovation, collaboration, evidence-based practice and a commitment to improving health outcomes for people supported by our services.
Congratulations to physiotherapists Keelan Delvin Roberts and David Rossiter, and dietitians Christina Rafferty and Ruth Glynn, whose expertise, dedication and collaborative approach were central to the success of the project.
St. Michael’s House would also like to sincerely thank Caisleán day service and all participants involved in the pilot programme for their enthusiastic engagement and support throughout the initiative.
Tara Molloy (Interim CEO) said:
“We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved through this project. The innovation, collaboration and commitment shown by the team have been exceptional, and it is wonderful to see this work recognised at a national level. This award highlights the importance of proactive, evidence-based healthcare initiatives for adults with intellectual disabilities and the positive impact multidisciplinary teamwork can have on people’s lives.”
Congratulations everyone on this wonderful achievement.