St. Anne’s Ward Dementia-Friendly ward

“Many of our patients have lost their short-term memories. They often don’t know where they are, but they’re happy in the past. Now, even though they’re in hospital, their surroundings can stimulate happy memories.” – Mary Duffy, Clinical Nurse Manager, St Anne’s Ward.

A fireplace. A piano. Clery’s Clock and a Dublin Bus stop. You wouldn’t expect to find them in a hospital, but you’ll now find them at the Mater. That’s because – with the support of generous people like you – St Anne’s Ward is now a dementia-friendly environment. 

Clery’s Clock and the Bus Stop

For many patients with dementia, the hospital experience can be a frightening, distressing, and disorientating place. The lack of familiarity and the constant movement and noise means many patients can experience a sensory overload.  

Research has shown that simple changes in the hospital’s colour schemes, as well as furnishings and fittings, plus the introduction of Interactive Therapeutic Activities help to:

• Reduce the stress, fear and disorientation that can lead to instances of upset
• Reduce the occurrence of delirium & associated incidents/injuries
• Reduce the need for patients to stay longer than necessary in hospital

Thanks to our supporters, St Anne’s has become a more serene space, with each room, including the new living room, painted in inviting bright colours and featuring iconic symbols of Dublin including the Clery’s clock, pictures of the Phoenix Park and a Dublin bus stop installed on the ward. 

Remembering and sharing precious moments with RITA

Meet RITA – a recent new arrival that supporters like you have helped deliver to St Anne’s Ward at the Mater Hospital, a ward dedicated to the care of the older person

RITA (Rehabilitation & Interactive Therapeutic Activities) is an all-in-one touch screen solution that offers digital reminiscence therapy – a relatively new tool in the fields of nursing and healthcare.

It encompasses the use of user-friendly interactive screens and tablets to blend entertainment with therapy to assist patients (particularly with memory impairments) in recalling and sharing events from their past through –  listening to music, watching news reports of significant historical events, listening to prolific speeches, playing games and karaoke and watching films.

This creates a calm, relaxing environment where patients with Dementia / Delirium can be fully engaged and occupied to reduce the stress of hospitalisation and prevent boredom.

It augments the dedicated care being delivered by the ward’s staff and has also been shown to reduce length of hospital stay, reduce incidence of falls, increase both patient and family satisfaction and experience, and potentially reduce the requirement to use psychotropic medications.

Thanks to your generosity, the Mater Hospital is the flagship location for RITA in Ireland, and it’s just one of the examples of the impact that your support for the Mater Hospital Foundation makes.