Fair City star Bryan Murray and wife Una Crawford O’Brien open dementia-friendly ward at Mater Hospital

The actor who plays Bob Charles in the RTÉ soap is himself living with Alzheimer’s disease.

The dementia-friendly sitting room is located at St Anne’s ward in the hospital.

It was developed with the needs of patients with dementia in mind and optimised for their comfort and relaxation, the work carried out on the sitting room was funded by the Mater Hospital Foundation and made possible through the generosity of public donations.

The team on the ward work in conjunction with the wider multi-disciplinary team to provide quality care to the older population, striving to promote independence and the best quality of life possible for all patients. The ward provides medical and nursing care as well as rehabilitation services.

This serene space was carefully designed to mimic a home environment, with a fireplace, piano, paintings, comfortable furniture and a ‘snug’, allowing for additional privacy and space away from external stimuli, a spokesperson said.

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Chief executive of the Mater Hospital Foundation Mary Moorhead said: “The official opening of St Anne’s Dementia Friendly Sitting Room was a truly uplifting event and a great opportunity to highlight the important, innovative work and compassionate care for patients with dementia at happens there every single day.

“The Mater Hospital Foundation is immensely grateful to everyone who has donated and supported us to make this project possible. I would also like to thank our special guests Bryan Murray and Una Crawford O’Brien for taking the time to be with us for this celebration.

“For many patients living with dementia, the hospital experience can be a frightening, distressing and disorientating place. The lack of familiarity and the constant movement and noise can lead to sensory overload for many individuals. In the sitting room, away from the clinical environment, our patients can relax and enjoy the comfort of the home-style surroundings or spend time with loved ones.”

A spokesperson said that funding from the the Mater Hospital Foundation in recent years means St Anne’s ward has been painted with bright, welcoming colours and imagery of iconic Dublin landmarks have been added, including the Clery’s clock and imagery of the Phoenix Park. A bus stop on the ward provides a conversation point and provides distraction for patients with dementia or delirium.