A Healing Environment for All

“I breath mindfully and encourage others to do the same. As meditation teachers advise, breathe in and breathe out and stay in the present moment. It sounds simple but it can be difficult to do, to truly surrender to the breath and the sense of presence that it brings.” – Shaun Mcniff

The Patient’s Story

Patients and their families are under an intense amount of stress. Many of them are scared and depressed and living in the dark about their illness and wondering if their body has the ability to heal. Families and loved ones feel overwhelmed and hopeless. Doctors and staff do the best they can to treat and heal. As healthcare designers, there is something we can do to help too.

A Healing Environment

It is our job as designers to create an environment that heals. The design choices we make can combat fear and help relieve stress in patients, their families and the staff that provide their care. As designers, we want to enlist confidence in all the stakeholders and we know that and the environment has the ability to sooth and empower those in it.

Evidence Based Research has proved that an environment filled with art, light, and nature contribute to the body’s ability to heal by relieving stress. Things like staying in the moment, thinking positively and meditation generate healing responses in people.

Making a Choice

The designer’s responsibility is to fill the environment with art, light and nature. When we have restrictions, we use photographs and artwork to enhance any space.

A question that I am asked frequently is how do you pick out artwork? It can be difficult to do because art is interpreted differently for each person. I like to use pictures of the natural environment. You can never go wrong with a photo of nature especially if it is region specific. For instance, photos of the Hawaii Islands are great choices for hospitals in Hawaii.

Nature is a universally appealing subject, not influenced by individual artistic tastes. Photographs of nature will help create energy and optimism, help patients redirect negative thoughts, and provide comfort for the soul.