Elizabeth Dean: Outside Reading: "Health Benefits of Gardens in Hospials"

Garden Viewing in Hospitals
"Health Benefits of Gardens in Hospitals," by Roger Ulrich is a look into the healign effects nature and gardens have on the ill. Ulrich describes some history of gardens in hospitals and how it has dates back to the middle ages, of people using gardens in restorative ways. He then goes on to discuss the past lack of the gardens, due to the healthcare world feeling a pressure to keep up with medical advancements, and technologies and putting less of a stress on things such as gardens. Ulrich then describes that hospitals have recently put a new stress on patient and staff satisfaction, which has led to a rise in the return of the gardens. The healing process is then described, and gardens restorative effects on the sick are explained. Ulrich describes a 3-5 minute change that takes place among sick people after viewing nature; this change includes positive halth changes, that help lead the patient to a speedy recovery. The biggest effect, however, that garden viewing has on patients is its ability to reduce stress. This is a common theme that comes up among discussion of nature as a healing aid- its way of reducing stress. As made apparent in various things such as natural,and herbal teas, yoga, or viewing gardens, nature has been shown to have positive healing effect on the ill. Teas, yoga, and gardens all lead to a reduce in stress and a focus on self, and a feeling of wholeness which help aid in a patients recovery.