Family rooms

We are working towards the goal of having a dedicated family room on each ward for patients and their families.

What are the family rooms?

Our family rooms offer patients and families a quiet, private space, set apart from the busy ward. Families have told us how much they appreciate having access to carefully designed family rooms on our wards, particularly if their relative or friend is seriously ill and they are spending a long time in the hospital to support the patient. These rooms also provide a place where patients and families can meet with health care professionals and discuss the patient's healthcare in private.

To date, we have completely refurbished eight family rooms. The rooms provide families with a comfortable seating area and access to tea and coffee making facilities free of charge. Each family room also has a sofa bed to allow a family member stay overnight when their loved one is seriously ill or dying.

Family rooms are currently available on the following wards:

• St Brigid's ward
• St Joseph's ward
• St Vincent’s ward
• St Teresa’s ward
• St John’s ward
• Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency Unit
• Renal Dialysis Unit
• St Raphael’s ward

We are extremely grateful to the staff of the hospital, the Irish Hospice Foundation, and all those patients and families who have kindly donated funds to our end of life care and family room refurbishment fund in the Mater Foundation.

We are currently in the process of planning the refurbishment or development of the following family rooms:

• St Anne’s ward
• St Monica’s ward
• Sacred Heart ward
• Coronary Care Unit
• Our Lady’s ward
• Emergency Department

How you can help

Our ultimate goal is to have a family room on every ward. We would also like to enhance the existing rooms by providing items such as recliner chairs or sleepover sofas. You can help us achieve these aims by donating or fundraising. Please contact the Mater Hospital Foundation and tell them you would like to donate or to fundraise for the “end of life care and family room refurbishment fund”.