PRESS RELEASE
12th March 2014.
DESIGNER LOUISE KENNEDY OPENS FAMILY ROOM IN
NENAGH HOSPITAL
– Peaceful space is exemplar project in Mid West
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Acclaimed designer Louise Kennedy returned to her native Tipperary today (12th March) to
open the first family room in Nenagh Hospital which is for relatives of patients who are
seriously ill or near the end of life and those families who are bereaved.
The room was funded under the Design & Dignity Grants Fund which is operated and cofunded by the Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) and the Health Service Executive (HSE).The
new facility cost approximately €35,000 from the Design & Dignity Fund
The Design & Dignity Fund was instigated in October 2010.A total of 11 projects in acute
hospitals countrywide are being supported by the Fund and so far five facilities have been
completed.
Located near the main entrance to the hospital, the new family room was created from
combining two small rooms’ measuring12sq meters in total. The clever use of space has
allowed the hospital to have a tea and coffee making facility, a couch, armchairs and a “pull
out” bed should relatives wish to stay overnight near their dying loved one.
Speaking at the opening, Louise Kennedy commented: “” Our Late father Jimmy Kennedy
spent time in Nenagh Hospital, he received amazing care from the very dedicated nursing
team who also gave my family the support we needed at a very vulnerable and anxious time.
It is such a welcome facility that Nenagh Hospital now has a family room for loved ones to
grieve privately and to be in a calm and peaceful environment.”
Ann Doherty, CEO of UL Hospitals, commented: “Families need a private dignified
space during this most critical time. Today we are pleased to open a new facility that
will offer some comfort to families when they need us most. They can stay day and
night while their loved one is coming to the end of their lives. Nenagh Hospital is
committed to improving end-of-life care. We aim to ensure that patients and
families who are with us during their final journey will have a peaceful and dignified
experience.”
Nenagh Hospital’s Specialist Palliative Care Nurse Carmel Sheehy was instrumental in the
development of this room, said: “This family room was both a practical and a profound
project. It involved a lot of skilled people working collaboratively on every aspect of this
facility: design, interior colours, lighting, artwork, acoustics, fabrics and furnishings. We are
proud of what has been created and hope this small but dignified space will demonstrate our
compassionate care for families. ”
Joe Hoare, Estates Manager, commented: “This project is a product of the ongoing
collaboration with the Irish Hospice Foundation on the built environment. The objective was
to compliment the culture of care being fostered in the hospital by providing a dedicated
space for the benefit of families and also to set an example for others to follow.”.
Mary Lovegrove, Manager of the HFH programme, remarked: 'The Design & Dignity Fund
aims to bring design excellence to hospitals in which so many people spend the last days of
their lives. The evidence shows that good design can have a very positive impact on how we
experience death and dying. We congratulate the hospital management, members of the
Nenagh’s End-of-Life Care Committee, the staff at Nenagh Hospital, HSE Estates, Julian
O’Mahony of Collins Building & Civil Engineering Ltd and architect Magdalena Kubat for all
the hard work it took to complete this project. We hope that this family room will inspire
similar projects in other hospitals in the region.'
The 50 guest at the opening included the CEO and other senior management of HSE Mid
West; members of the Service Users Group of the hospital; the builders and architects
involved in the project; heads of department from Nenagh hospital and other sites in the
mid west region; the Friends of Nenagh Hospital and members of North Tipperary Hospice.
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Ends -
For more information, please contact:
Niamh Doody
HSE press officer
Tel 086 7704314
Caroline Lynch,
Head of Communications and Advocacy,
The Irish Hospice Foundation.
Tel: 087 123 75 86 or caroline.lynch@hospicefoundation.ie
Note to editor
UL’s Nenagh Hospital applied in February 2011, to the Design & Dignity project for financial
support and design expertise in creating this space. The application was recommended for
phase 2 of the scheme and work began on this project in summer 2013.
The project involved input from the End of life care committee at Nenagh Hospital Technical
Services at Nenagh Hospital; HSE Estates, O Connell Mahon Architects; Collins Building &
Civil Engineering Ltd; Ronan Rose Roberts, Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme
Architectural Advisor. Irish Hospice Foundation.