End of life care

At the Mater Hospital, we are committed to making sure that patients who die in our hospital experience comfort and dignity, and that our patients families are supported in their bereavement.

When a person is dying or has just died on a ward in the hospital, this symbol may be displayed at a nurses station or on the doors to the ward. The symbol tells staff and visitors that a very personal event is happening on the ward and that it is a time for dignity and respect. 

Many families spend long days in our hospital with a relative who is seriously ill. We understand how difficult it can be for our patients and their families, and we are working to make these times as comfortable as possible by creating family rooms and suites in our hospital.

Our family rooms and suites give our patients and their families a quiet, private space, away from the busy wards to be together.

Each family room has free tea and coffee making facilities and a sleepover sofa to allow a family member to stay overnight if their loved one is seriously ill or dying. Family rooms can also be a place where patients and their families can meet with healthcare professionals and talk in private. Each family suite is made up of two interlinking rooms, one room for the patient and the other room is a family area. The suites have a kitchenette and a sleepover sofa to allow a family member to stay overnight if their loved one is seriously ill or dying.

Further information and photographs of our refurbished family rooms and suites are available in the below booklet. 
 

We have completely refurbished 14 family rooms and 2 comfort care family suites in our hospital so far, and we are working towards the goal of having a family room or family suite in every ward for our patients and their families. 

You can help us achieve our goal by contacting The Mater Hospital Foundation and making a donation or fundraising for "The end of life care and family room refurbishment fund". 

The Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme is an initiative of the Irish Hospice Foundation, in partnership with the Health Service Executive (HSE). The programme was set up in 2007 and it aims to ensure that end-of-life, palliative and bereavement care is central to the everyday business of hospitals.

In our hospital, we aim to provide the highest standard of end-of-life care for all of our patients and their families, and the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme looks at how we can continually work to improve this care. We are working on all aspects of end-of-life care in our hospital, from the education and training of our staff, to audits and research. We are also very focused on improving the environment for our patients and their families, by creating family-friendly rooms on our busy wards. 

We aim to provide the best end of life care to all of our patients and to their families. The Mater Hospital and St. James's Hospital, along with our academic partners University College Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD) have carried out a survey of bereaved family members to help us understand patients and their families experiences of end of life care in our hospitals. We would like to sincerely thank all of the family members who took part in the survey. 
 

• The full report on the survey of bereaved family members is available here

Dying

• When someone you care about is dying in hospital - this online booklet published by the HSE provides information and advice for families going through a challenging and emotional time. It complements the approach of our staff as they support and assist families.

Bereavement

• When you experience a bereavement - A leaflet published by our hospital that provides some practical information and advice following a death. This print leaflet is also available in Ukrainian, Romanian, Russian and Polish below.
  
  Ukrainian: Коли ви переживаєте втрату
  Romanian: Când treceți printr-o pierdere
  Russian: Если вы переживаете тяжелую утрату
  Polish: Kiedy doświadcza się żałoby
  
• hse.ie: This website provides information on bereavement support services, advice on coping with grief after bereavement or loss and how to support others
  
• Bereaved.ie: A website that provides advice and information for bereaved people.
  
• Bereavement - When someone close dies: A booklet published by the HSE. It provides information about grieving and includes contact details for bereavement support services.

Coroner's post mortem

• Coroner's post mortem examination guide: A leaflet published by our hospital that provides information to help you understand and address questions you may have about a Coroner's post mortem exam. This print leaflet is also available in Ukrainian, Romanian, Russian, Polish and Chinese (Mandarin)below.
  
  Ukrainian: Коронерський розтин Короткий посібник
  Romanian: Examinarea post mortem efectuată de medical legist
  Russian: Процедура вскрытия, проводимая коронером
  Polish: Sekcja zwłok zlecona przez koronera
  Chinese (Mandarin):验尸官尸检简介

Children

• Death: Helping Children Understand: This booklet published by Barnardos aims to give some explanation of how children at various stages of development understand death. It will help those who are faced with the difficult task of talking to children about death and dying.
  
• Death: Helping Teenagers: This booklet published by Barnardos explores some of the issues for teenagers when they are dealing with a death. It may be read in conjunction with Barnardos’ booklet ‘Death: Helping Children Understand’ mentioned above.
  
• Always in my heart: A book for children about grieving.
  
• Finding your way through grief: For teenagers and young adults. In this booklet some young people speak about what helped them in their grief. We hope this will help you understand how grief can affect us and what can help.
  
• The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network: A website that provides helpful information and factsheets for those caring for or working with bereaved children, young people and their families.

Other useful information

• Citizens Information: A website that has helpful information on registering a death in Ireland, bereavement counselling, support services, estates / money matters after death and unexpected deaths.

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