One long-time 91原创 family鈥檚 personal experiences at 91原创 Memorial Hospital and their subsequent donation will shape how other local families can say goodbye to loved ones moving forward.
Night or day, week day or weekend 鈥� at any moment 鈥� a 91原创 family may be gathered at LMH to support a loved one in their final moments.
Last year alone, 361 individuals passed away at the local hospital. That鈥檚 361 families touched by the environment provided at the hospital during their loved one鈥檚 farewell.
Well, that atmosphere is about to receive a major facelift.
Thanks to the Martini family, and a donation of $100,000 announced at Saturday鈥檚 Denim & Diamonds gala, four unique end-of-life rooms are being established inside LMH.
Due to the hospital鈥檚 current state, many families on the end-of-life journey must endure these heart-wrenching and intimate experiences in rooms shared with up to three other patients and their families.
Unlike many existing rooms in the wards, these new end-of-life rooms will be changed up to provide quiet, private space for the family to come together, compose their thoughts, and make important medical decisions. This is an integral part of the health care journey, said Jason Cook, executive director for LMH.
So, amid the required clinical space that is found in any community hospital, when people reach the doorway to one of these new end-of-life rooms, Cook wants things to instantly change.
People need to feel like they鈥檙e walking into 鈥渕ore of a home,鈥� he said, noting renovations are expected to start within the next few months.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to move away from the sterile look of a [hospital] room,鈥� he said, noting the space will be painted with warm colours, and softer lighting will be added.
But it doesn鈥檛 end there, Cook elaborated. There will be accent decor items brought in, home-like bedding will replace the clinical bed sheets, and even a speaker allowing favourite playlists to be used to help evoke happy memories
Shelves or side tables will be added to encourage family members to personalize the space with favourite pictures and mementos.
And a sofa sleeper bed or chair will be incorporated to encourage guests to stay for as long as needed.
The hospital鈥檚 four convalescent units are not currently set up to provide an atmosphere of comfort and compassion that families need when a loved one is at the end-of-life, Cook said.
鈥淲e can do better than that,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about making things comfortable.鈥�
Having created a hospice space at Mission Memorial Hospital in past, Cook knows what it takes to help make patients and their families a little more comfortable during such a difficult time, and he is excited to see that reality being extended to the hospital wards in 91原创.
Four of the single, private rooms located on the various units will be retrofitted.
While they will not serve exclusively as end-of-life rooms, Cook is optimistic one will always be available 鈥� when needed.
It will not change the clinical services necessary in the final days, but he said 鈥渙ur end-of-life rooms are really about creating a better environment, a home-like environment for those in their last few days of life鈥� so we can keep the family and patients together when they鈥檙e most vulnerable.鈥�
And all of this, he said, is thanks to the 鈥済enerous donation鈥� of Ron and Maria Martini.
鈥淭hrough their health care experiences and knowing of our need, they approached us to say 鈥榳e鈥檇 like to make a donation and focus on this, we think we can help and make end of life better for other patients鈥�,鈥� Cook recounted. 鈥淎nd we welcome that.鈥�
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