HEALING GARDEN
Hospital project feeds both body and mind
A garden overflowing with crunchy cucumbers, crisp kale, ripe radish, sweet tomatoes and buttery lettuce has taken over the green space between Parking Lot 9 and Unit 48 at Rockyview General Hospital. The garden is a labour of love by the patients and staff of Unit 48 — a 22-bed unit for seniors with psychiatric illness.
Patients and staff water, weed and harvest vegetables from the garden daily. The garden has also become a place for gathering and relaxation. Doctors take patients to sit on the garden's picnic benches and under its umbrellas, for their one-on-one check-ins. Staff have lunch or take breaks at the tables. The garden is open to the public, and visitors often stop by to admire the beauty.
“It's become a wonderful getaway spot,” says Anusha Fernando, a recreational therapy assistant in Unit 48. Fernando, who has always had a green thumb, helped start the garden in the summer of 2017.
“We began with a few planters of tomato and kale,” says Fernando. “Then, we started to use the vegetables to make salads for the patients once a month. Now, we have four, large, raised garden beds for better access for those in wheelchairs, and we have almost every vegetable and herb you can grow in Alberta. We have more than enough to make salads once a week and we throw in some kale chips, too.”
“Salad Thursdays” have become a weekly event. Every patient, staff member and doctor in Unit 48 (and staff from nearby units who are in the know) hurries over to the communal dining room at lunchtime to enjoy a big bowl of fresh garden salad, with their choice of nuts, cheese and dressings. Everyone eats together and Fernando says it has helped them bond.
“We are different from other units at the hospital, in that our patients are stable medically,” explains Fernando. “We are dealing with a wide range of geriatric mental health issues. Loneliness often contributes to the conditions our patients have. Hosting `Salad
Thursday' every week gives us something to look forward to and a chance to socialize.”
Half of the patients in Unit 48 can see the garden from their rooms and Fernando says the patients have become very invested. “We have had deer wander by and start munching our vegetables. Whenever that happens, we have patients run to our front desk and
ask a nurse to go chase it away.”
In addition to fostering connection, the garden provides a boost to the patients' mental health. Dr. Suparna Madan is the section head for geriatric psychiatry for Unit 48. She sees a wide range of patients with mood disorders, psychosis and neurocognitive disorders (such as dementia and delirium). “The garden encourages therapeutic
reminiscence among patients, such as recalling prior positive experiences with gardening and at the same time helps them build new positive memories,” says Madan.
“Patients take pride in learning new skills and as our patients `nurture' the garden, they are also learning to nurture themselves. It also encourages exercise, fresh air
and socialization (which has unfortunately been lacking due to the isolation many of our elderly patients have experienced during the COVID pandemic).”
Chris (last name withheld for privacy) is a 72-year-old patient in Unit 48 who suffers from a mood disorder.
“The garden is a kind of therapy for me,” explains Chris. “It gives me an optimistic way of looking at things and I feel pride in doing a good job. Our garden is very healthy and well looked after. Plus, the salad is really good. I usually have two helpings.”
Fernando says that some Unit 48 patients initially say they aren't gardeners or don't know anything about gardening. However, everyone is invited to come down and observe. “We usually see patients start to play with the soil and become interested,” says Fernando. “We have a geriatric community mental health team who follows up with our patients after they are discharged, and one resident doctor came back to our unit and told us that an amazing thing he has started seeing is that some former patients have started little gardens on their balconies. The impact carries on.”
Madan adds, “If we had resources and locations, it would be lovely to see if this gardening program could be expanded to other sites or locations in the city. It could be something that discharged patients could continue in their communities or our outpatients could engage with as part of a day program.”
Hospital administration has taken notice of the garden's success and meetings are taking place this summer to figure out ways to further support and expand the garden. Lowe's Canada has donated garden equipment and Unit 48 is looking for additional corporate or individual donors.
Fernando says they have plans to add a pergola, create additional seating for patients, families and staff, remove grass and replace it with mulch and install a concrete pathway. “It's all coming together,” says Fernando. “We are going to be busy, but it's a good kind of busy.”
Patients take pride in learning new skills and as our patients `nurture' the garden, they are also learning to nurture themselves. It also encourages exercise, fresh air and socialization. Dr. Suparna Madan