Offaly Nursing Home Director wins prestigious National Care Award

Olga Serdyuk (centre), from Esker Ri Nursing Home (Co. Offaly), who was awarded the Director of Nursing Award at the NHI Care Awards 2026, pictured with Jillian van Turnhout from Nursing Homes Ireland, and Sinead Cryan from RCSI on Thursday, November 5. | .

placeholder image — Olga Serdyuk (centre), from Esker Ri Nursing Home (Co. Offaly), who was awarded the Director of Nursing Award at the NHI Care Awards 2026, pictured with Jillian van Turnhout from Nursing Homes Ireland, and Sinead Cryan from RCSI on Thursday, November 5. | .

The Clara-based winner was recognised for her outstanding dedication to older person care.

An Offaly nursing home staff member was announced as a winner at the Nursing Homes Ireland (NH) Care Awards 2026 on Thursday night, November 5.

Olga Serdyuk, Director of Nursing at Esker Rí Nursing Home in Clara was awarded the Director of Nursing of the Year Award at the gala dinner event in the Hogan Suite at Croke Park Stadium.

This year saw a record-breaking number of submissions for the nation's premier celebration of excellence in nursing home care with over 300 nominations.

Olga was joined by other nursing home professionals, as part of the 31 finalists (from 15 counties) that were shortlisted, following the deliberations of an expert independent judging panel.

The Offaly-based winner was announced at the 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.

Minister Kieran OʼDonnell TD, Jillian van Turnhout (NHI, Chairperson), Tadhg Daly (NHI, CEO), and the 13 Care Award Winners, at the NHI Care Awards 2026 in Croke Park Stadium on Thursday, November 5. | .

The 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 winner based on compassion, innovation, dedication, and impact on residents' quality of life.

Speaking about Olga’s achievement, Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, said: "We are incredibly proud to recognise our Offaly-based Winner at the NHI Care Awards. The success of Olga at this year's NHI Care Awards reflects not only their personal dedication and skill, but also the exceptional standard of care being delivered across Ireland's nursing home sector.”

He concluded: “Every day, nursing home staff demonstrate remarkable compassion and professionalism in caring for older people. These awards provide a platform to celebrate their achievements and to say thank you for the profound difference they make to residents' lives and to their families."