In praise of Sunbeam House Services care

I feel compelled to put pen to paper in light of so much negative publicity in the media regarding the health service in general and, more recently, in relation to Sunbeam House Services.

My family has witnessed first-hand the true quality of the excellent service provided by this organisation. Our relative was a resident of Valley View Bungalows in Rathdrum, run by Sunbeam House Services, for eleven years until her passing last December. The quality of her care was exceptional in every way.

On her initial arrival to Sunbeam Services, following the passing of her elderly father, no stone was left unturned by the welcoming staff to help with the settling-in process. Photographs of her parents and family were framed and displayed to help her feel at home. We were invited to visit at any time of day and were always warmly welcomed, as in any family home.

Mary became a member of the Valley View/Sunbeam family rather than being considered a client. During her active years she was supported in every way to reach her potential and to be as independent as possible. She attended day services in Ballyraine where she enjoyed a wide and varied range of activities and had the opportunity to exhibit her work in the Tinahely Show.

Weekly outings on ‘flexi trips’ were enjoyed and a job placement in a local chemist was organised which made her feel truly independent. She also enjoyed many social experiences including day trips, hotel breaks and even a trip to Euro Disney in Paris. She was provided with the opportunity to attend Special Olympics in Rathdrum and enjoyed playing badminton.

Home life in Valley View was exciting and varied and had many shopping trips, lunches, birthday parties, barbecues, family days and music nights – all organised and provided by marvellous staff that look after the clients in their care with true kindness, patience and always with a smile. A precious book was compiled over the years by her care workers outlining her life and describing the simple fun activities enjoyed by her and the clients of Valley View.

When her health slowly began to deteriorate, she received excellent care in a loving environment where she was treated with the utmost respect. Staff members accompanied her on GP visits and also sat with her both day and night in St Vincent’s Hospital, even once on New Year’s Eve.

In her final illness, when it became obvious that palliative care was needed, Client Services Manager Bernadette Halpenny and her team of dedicated and exceptional staff came into their own.

She was nursed and cared for to the highest medical standard and was treated with genuine love and respect. Her final days were spent in the utmost comfort and we, her family, were made welcome around the clock and so were able to be with her as she passed peacefully away on the December 6, 2018. In our relative’s final days and hours, staff stayed on after their shifts had finished offering comfort and support.

It needs to be said that the dedicated care and competency of the excellent staff at Valley View Bungalows has to be witnessed first-hand to be fully understood and appreciated. The friendly atmosphere and genuine warmth of the welcome in Valley View together with the excellent nursing and loving care makes us feel very privileged and ever-grateful that our relative was lucky enough to share her life with this Sunbeam family for eleven years.

I wish the organisation well and hope that many more will benefit from their exceptional services in the future.

I hope you will print this letter so that people can hear of a different side to our health service than what is often presented.