Fold Housing: Enabling its residents to age in place

Fold Ireland is one of Ireland’s leading approved housing bodies providing housing, care and support to older people, families and those with complex needs. Fold Ireland is an approved housing body with charitable status led by a skilled voluntary board with experts from the private and public sectors. We work with local authorities, the HSE, financial institutions, developers and other critical delivery partners to meet housing demand.

Fold Ireland currently have a portfolio of 12 general needs schemes with a total of 252 properties located all across Dublin and Meath and two housing with care schemes housing 112 people both located in North Dublin. Fold specialise in housing for over 55s and provide purpose-built accommodation for older people to independently age in place.

Fold have had their most exciting year yet in 2020 with the theme of this year certainly being rejuvenation and regeneration. Not only are Fold carrying out regeneration on-site in their developments, they have had an exciting revamp to our internal structure. Fold Ireland recently introduced a new Chief Executive Denis Buckley following the separation from Radius Housing in Northern Ireland, who previously managed Fold Ireland. Buckley was appointed Chief Executive in December 2019 and has 20 years’ experience at CEO level in the corporate sector both nationally and internationally. Buckley has also been a member, at board level, of several approved housing bodies and charities in the disability and ageing sectors. Buckley is also Chairperson of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland since 2017. He was a member of the Housing SPC for Kildare CC and Committee Member of Kildare Chamber of Commerce. As CEO, Buckley is focused on keeping the vision and mission as the focal point when meeting the organisation’s strategic goals.

The modern, spacious kitchens inside the New Dolphin Park development.

The crane comes down in New Dolphin Park.

The Fold Ireland Development team lead by Tina Donaghy has been busier than ever this past year. Fold currently have two very exciting projects onsite and nearing completion: St Agnes’ in Crumlin, which will consist of 103 units for people over the age of 55, and New Dolphin Park in Rialto, which will house 43 older persons. Fold have also recently taken ownership of 31 units in Abelard Square, Phoenix Park and hope to welcome residents very soon. Fold have also agreed to manage thirteen units in Mount Argos and will take over 24 in Cúil Dúin, City West. Fold have ambitiously aimed to double their portfolio from 252 to 466 by the end of 2020.

New Dolphin Park in Rialto is one of Fold’s most exciting projects yet. This development is a regeneration project similar to their development in Ballygall which was completed in 2014. This project will be brand new purpose-built housing for older persons and will house 43 residents. These tenants will be a mixture of pre-existing Dolphin’s Barn residents and new residents. The new apartments will be an exciting upgrade from the cramped, dark apartments the Dolphin’s Barn residents are currently living in. The apartments feature large windows with plenty of natural light, modern kitchens, spacious living rooms and bedrooms and purpose-built bathrooms that will allow residents to age in place. The complex also features smart technology with Radius Connect 24 in every apartment to give residents the peace of mind that they are safe and secure in their homes. The stunning development is bright and colourful on the outside with red brick, colourful metal details and bright red doors. The courtyard, in the centre of the development, will create a real sense of community and the day room will allow residents to meet and arrange activities. This is a total regeneration project and like the residents in Ballygall, Fold hope the New Dolphin Park residents are left rejuvenated and uplifted by their new homes.

New Dolphin Park being built on the door step of future residents.

These homes will then be managed by the Housing team in Fold lead by Martina Conroy. The Fold Housing team take a person-centred approach to housing, meaning the resident’s needs are a top priority for the Housing team. This also means that through organised events and activities there is a real sense of community in every housing scheme. Fold encourage every scheme to arrange a residents’ association that organises activities. These residents’ associations create a time and place for friendships to form naturally and eliminates any loneliness many residents over 55 typically suffer from. Unlike many Housing Associations, Fold do not just build houses and walk away, they create communities for people to age in place, happy and content.

Fold Ireland are a rapidly expanding Approved Housing Body with an ambitious aim to double their housing stock by the end of the year. They are internally expanding year-on-year by welcoming new, skilled housing professionals and dedicated care staff to the Housing with Care schemes. Fold Ireland are continuously working hard year-on-year to ensure there is a consistent, yearly increase in delivering safe, secure, and well managed homes for people on low incomes. The use of smart technology along with a person-centred approach to housing management allows Fold tenants to independently age in place in a friendly and welcoming community. Fold look forward to the welcoming hundreds of new tenants by the end of the year and providing many more quality homes in the future.

T: 01 822 8804
E: inquiries@foldireland.ie
W: www.foldireland.ie