Elderly patients are benefitting from a newly created outdoor space at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

A specially designed therapeutic garden has been created for patients in ward 36 to enjoy during their stay at the hospital. The outdoor space has been designed to be beneficial for patients in the ward with such things as a bus stop, a washing line, a summer house, putting green and lots of different animals spread round the garden.

The purpose of the garden is to allow patients to feel that they can still go outside and not be restricted to the ward. The garden has a range of activities on offer to help enhance the patients’ quality of life and relatives and visitors will also be able to accompany their loved ones in the garden to enjoy the outdoor setting.

John Kennedy, General Manager, Rehabilitation and Assessment, said: “I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the creation of this garden including staff, patients and relatives, and the team who designed and constructed it with our patient’s best interests in mind.

“There is good evidence that by involving patients in activities both physical and mental their rehabilitation is improved.

“The sensory garden will make a big difference to the patients. The area can also be accessed by patients’ relatives and friends and is somewhere for them to spent time outwith the clinical setting of the ward creating a more person centred environment.”

ENDS


For more information either telephone 0141 201 4429 or email press.office[email protected] .

Pic:  100 year old patient, Isobel Blair, is helped cut the ribbon officially opening the new therapeutic garden with help from her daughter Ann and staff from Ward 36.