Family Donation makes a difference to Families’ Experience at Our Hospital

The Intensive Care Unit in any hospital is a stressful and busy environment, for patients but also for their families, who are supporting their loved one during a serious health situation.

Thanks to a very kind and generous donation from the Murray Frum Foundation, and directed by local Ajax residents, the Murphy-Beaudet family, two family-centred spaces in the Intensive Care Unit at Ajax Pickering Hospital have been refurbished and revamped to create welcoming and calming, yet private, settings for anyone visiting the unit: the Family Lounge and the Quiet Room.

Michelle Murphy sadly knows from personal experience how overwhelming an ICU can be, and was moved to be able to provide this donation that extends compassionate care to the family as a whole.  And the Ajax Pickering Hospital Foundation were proud to honour her parents, Michael & Patricia Murphy, with this project.

Each detail in both rooms were specifically chosen to help someone to hopefully find some peace and calm, to give them space to rest or meditate, as well as to provide a place for them to gather their thoughts or to prepare themselves for the next stage of the journey.

• armchairs & sofas, as well as tucked-away stools, provide ample seating
• the cube shelves have plants and neutral décor to add some interest and to soften the room
• cupboards hold necessary items, such as tissues
• the side tables can go up and down in height
• the lamps can be dimmed
• artwork and wall paint were selected for their soothing tones
• a charging station was installed for phones or other technology so that families can always stay in contact with loved ones
• in the Family Lounge, a Kids’ Corner was included with child-height seating & table and wipeable colouring surfaces to provide some distraction activities
• in the Quiet Room, a basket holds community-made blankets to provide comfort, when needed, as well as a calming sound machine