In his article, Beresford writes, “In a number of hospices across the country, landscape architects and volunteer gardeners have created spaces that offer patients, as well as visitors and staff, that amenity, supporting them with features such as secluded nooks for quiet conversations or areas for contemplation and spiritual renewal.”
Several hospice executives provide insight into the benefits of gardens for patients and families and offer useful suggestions for those considering such a project.
“It normalizes the place of hospice care in the community, without the sense of it being a scary place,” says Dale Johnson, executive director of Hospicare and Palliative Care Services in Ithaca, N.Y.
“Our goal is to have destination spaces that make people feel embraced,” said Lu Little, president of landscape architecture firm Little & Wells that has provided services to Hospice of the Western Reserve for 13 years.
The full article, “Hospice Gardens Bring Patients Closer to Nature,” which includes a photographic gallery, is available online.
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