If you have visited a friend in the hospital recently, you may have noticed an increase in the number of planters that have appeared in the common areas. More and more hospitals are undergoing major renovations to create a more welcoming and restful environment, far apart from the bland sterile environments of the past. There are many reasons that hospitals are choosing plants as a primary source of decor in their spaces.
Reducing Stress
The primary reason that hospitals are investing in gardens and planters today has to do with the positive health outcomes that are directly tied to stress reduction. Numerous studies have been conducted examining the benefits of simply viewing lush green landscapes as compared to harsh industrial images.
These studies overwhelmingly show that the brain reacts to the greenery in as little as five minutes, helping patients to relax, calming their fears, and allowing them to reduce muscle strain. The overall effects of stress reduction also have significant physiological implications, including lowering blood pressure and errant brain activity by measurable amounts. For patients who need to relax and allow their body to recover, five minutes of stress reduction can make a big difference and filling the room with green plants can have a lasting impact.
Indoor Air Quality
Another common problem within healthcare facilities has to do with the spread of diseases and germs through the air. With so much illness concentrated in one place, it is a full-time task to keep the air and all surfaces clean of bacteria to prevent infections.
Planters filled with trees and shrubs offer a unique and effective way to filter the air while reducing your dependence on chemicals and equipment to keep the air safe. Since plants naturally filter the air and produce clean oxygen for breathing, it has been found that patients have smoother recovery with the help of planters.
Emotional Well-being
One area of healthcare that has gone largely unmanaged in the past is that of emotional well-being. Patients suffering from serious or terminal illnesses often deal poorly with their diagnosis when trapped in a cold, unwelcoming treatment environment full of machines and noise.
Many hospitals have found that adding quiet spaces with planters and colorful flowers can help patients feel more at home and at ease throughout treatment. They can also find peaceful places to meditate, reflect, and relax among the planters in an environment where the plants absorb much of the unnatural light and noise in the building. Support for emotional well-being is on the rise as more healthcare professionals seek to treat the whole person, not just the illness they suffer from.
Employee Well-being
While much of the focus of applicable research has been on patients and their families as they undergo treatment, there is also something to be said for improving the environment for healthcare workers as well.
Employees who are faced with the difficult job of working in a hospital day in and day out are subjected to extreme amounts of stress. Having live plants and colorful planters throughout the work environment can also have a positive impact on the way they view their job, the amount of stress they experience while they are there, and the success of the treatment plans they lay out.
With all of this research coming about, it’s no surprise that hospitals are actively adding planters to their space. Whether the plants are large or small, we know that they can improve the look and feel of the environment, put patients at ease, and help manage emotional needs during trying times. Even employees can benefit from the mood boosting effects of planters as decor.
For more information about the perfect planters to install in your healthcare facility, contact Jay Scotts today or visit our online catalog.