CONCEPT WHAT HEALTH BENEFITS DOES VIEWING NATURE OF-

FER?
- NATURE PROVIDES A GREAT DISTRACTION. BECAUSE WE ARE GENET-
ICALLY PROGRAMMED TO FIND NATURE ENGROSSING, WE ARE AB-
SORBED BY NATURE SCENES AND DISTRACTED FROM OUR PAIN AND
DISCOMFORT.
- NATURE REDUCES STRESS AND ANXIETY. BECAUSE HUMANS FIND NA-
TURE INHERENTLY ENGROSSING, WE DON’T HAVE TO MAKE AN EFFORT
TO FOCUS WHEN PRESENTED WITH NATURAL VIEWS. THIS REDUCES
MENTAL FATIGUE AND REFRESHES THE MIND.
- PLANTS OFFER PSYCHOLOGICAL COMFORT. AS ONE RESEARCHER IN
THIS AREA, LEWIS, SAYS “PLANTS TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE ANXIETY
AND TENSION OF THE IMMEDIATE NOW BY SHOWING US THAT THERE
ARE LONG, ENDURING PATTERNS IN LIFE.” THEIR GROWTH IS STEADY
AND PROGRESSIVE, NOT ERRATIC.

WHAT ARE HEALING GARDENS?

- HE TERM HEALING GARDENS IS MOST OFTEN APPLIED TO
GREEN SPACES IN HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE FA-
CILITIES THAT SPECIFICALLY AIM TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUT-
COMES. THESE GARDENS PROVIDE A PLACE OF REFUGE AND
PROMOTE HEALING IN PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF. ANY
ENVIRONMENT CAN PROMOTE HEALING, BUT GARDENS ARE
PARTICULARLY ABLE TO DO SO BECAUSE HUMANS ARE HARD-
WIRED TO FIND NATURE ENGROSSING AND SOOTHING.

- RELIEF FROM SYMPTOMS

- STRESS REDUCTION
- IMPROVEMENT IN OVERALL SENSE OF WELLBEING AND
HOPEFULNESS

HEALING GARDEN WITH FLORAL HOSPICE BEDS

- IN SENIOR LIVING DESIGN, HAVING A LOT OF GREEN VEGETATION, FLOWERS AND WATER ELEMENTS IN THE HEALING GARDEN ARE IMPOR-
TANT SINCE THEY PRODUCE POSITIVE REACTIONS. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN LARGE OR SMALL COURTYARDS, AN ATRIUM OR WITHIN EX-
ISTING RECREATIONAL AREAS. THE GARDENS CAN ALSO BE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE EXERCISE AND SERENITY WHILE PROVIDING SENIORS WITH
AN ENHANCED SENSE OF CONTROL AND INCLUDE A WALKING TRAIL AROUND THE EDGE FOR BOTH PERSONAL HEALTH OR PHYSICAL THER-
APY SESSIONS. A PROPERLY DESIGNED HEALING GARDEN WILL RESULT IN MEASURABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SENIOR RESIDENTS. RESIDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE AND IMPROVED IMMUNE FUNC-
TION, WHILE ALSO EXPERIENCING A REDUCTION IN ANXIETY, SADNESS AND OTHER NEGATIVE MOODS.