Hospitals usually conjure images of bright white walls, cold tile floors, and unforgiving fluorescent lights. But what if they brought up feelings of calm instead of anxiety, relief instead of discomfort? The hospital layout is evolving, and modern hospitals are adopting more patient centered design by incorporating natural lighting, greenery, outdoor spaces, and more comforting architecture that can transform the traditional healthcare space. One of the increasingly popular hospital additions is a rooftop garden, where staff, visitors, and patients alike can go to absorb some sun, gaze at pretty plants, and take a slow walk. Healthcare architecture firm Simone Health explains why installing a rooftop garden can help hospitals improve the overall healthcare experience.
- Relieves stress for both patients and staff: The greatest benefit that comes with a rooftop garden is providing a space where patients and staff can catch a breath of fresh air. Being sealed indoors all day can be damaging for one’s mental health, especially in a high-stress environment like a hospital. A rooftop garden provides an open, lush-green area perfect for de-stressing. Natural landscapes have been shown to reinvigorate and relax those that see them, allowing anxious visitors and stressed doctors to take in an aesthetically pleasing view and get some much-needed comfort from a hard day.
- Improves patient care: Many hospital patients have no choice but to stay indoors all day for health reasons and lack of safe outdoor spaces for their medical needs. Fitting a hospital rooftop garden with sufficient power lines and closed-off conditions allows these patients to take a stroll outside, attended or unattended, embracing the sun, the air, and the sweeping views. Giving patients locked to machines the ability to travel outdoors can significantly improve morale and mental state, both of which hospital patients, especially frequent or permanent ones, struggle with.
- Increases productivity: A rooftop garden can increase the productivity of your hospital staff by giving them a place to recoup and refresh during their long shifts. After hours of being inside and tending to patients and visitors, staff members often feel like their energy is lagging. This can be combated with some fresh air and sunlight, as well as a quick walk through the garden. Proven to have an energizing effect, giving staff their own space outdoors, away from patients and their visitors, can give a few small moments of peace before they feel ready to get back to work.
“Rooftop gardens have the power to increase your hospital’s overall patient experience, affecting everyone from the patients to the staff to provide a better healthcare atmosphere. Find out how you can incorporate a rooftop garden in your hospital development today,” said Joe Simone, President of Simone Development Companies.