End of life care
Supporting people at the end of their lives is an important part of our service at the Mater Hospital. We care for people during their last few days, weeks or months and also work to ensure their comfort and dignity while they are in our care.
Comfort and dignity
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.
Our Family Rooms and Family Suites
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.
How you can help our end of life care service
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
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.
Survey of bereaved family members - Voices MaJam
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.
Questions you may have
You may hear the words “palliative care” mentioned in the hospital. The palliative care team is a team of doctors, nurses and other staff who specialise in providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness.
As well as providing relief from pain and other symptoms, palliative care offers support and comfort to patients and provides for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs in the best way possible. For more information on palliative care, please see our palliative care page.
When a family member is seriously ill or dying, visitors may attend our hospital outside of visiting hours. The relevant nurse manager will discuss this with you and your family. If you wish to have visitors restricted, please tell our nursing staff and we will do our very best to ensure this happens.
We ask that you respect the privacy of others and that you limit the number of people visiting at any given time to a maximum of two.
We do have limited access to an overnight room for family members. In general, this is only offered to those families whose loved ones are in the last days of their life. We can, on occasion, set up a temporary bed or recliner chair in the family room. The relevant nurse manager will discuss this with you and your family. Longer term accommodation cannot be provided.
Caring for someone with a serious illness can be both a difficult and fulfilling experience. Information and guidance for carers can help to make the experience less stressful. Our medical social work service can provide you with information, advice and support.
The Irish Cancer Society has a helpful booklet called A Time to Care, which contains advice about caring for a seriously ill person at home. For a free copy, visit the Daffodil Centre in our hospital or call the Irish Cancer Society’s Cancer Nurseline on Freefone 1800 200 700.
Taking part in decisions that are made about your treatment is the single most important way to get the best care for your needs. It is okay to ask us questions and to expect answers you can understand. It may help to write your questions down before an appointment. You can also take notes and have a family member or carer with you.
Watch the video - An introduction to Palliative Care
Helpful information and resources
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.
Accessibility & understanding
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