Many good things and ideas have been around us for ages and it takes just a smart, well-thought initiative to make them work better for us humans and for our surroundings.
One such idea worth developing further is the creation of therapeutic parks in our towns, in the vicinity of the hospitals, rehabilitation institutions or anywhere where imagination takes us.
Not long ago I was reading about therapeutic parks that have been opened in Singapore and only a few weeks ago I found a similar story happening 30 kilometers away from my hometown, within the park area of a rehabilitation hospital located in Rovinj (Istria, Croatia). In the beginning of October, the eight days workshop took place, jointly performed by the American University George Washington, the department for landscape architecture, and Rovinj hospital for Orthopedic and Rehabilitation. The two teams have been preparing for a new project – the hospital therapeutic park, with the aim to create a pleasant environment for socializing and rehabilitation. The place should be attractive and invigorating not only for patients but also for local citizens so that they spend more time outdoors.
Therapeutic parks have been created recently in several countries around the world, such as Mexico, Guatemala, Japan, and Singapore but also in Croatia. Some of the examples of therapeutic parks are those created for the ageing population but also for people suffering from dementia or mental diseases. Spending good and quality time away from the hustle and bustle of city life helps to relieve stress and brings about restorative effects to the mental well-being of all.
Gardening is another idea that can easily be implemented in therapeutic parks. Ongoing studies on the effects of horticultural therapy on mental health indicate that horticultural therapy brings about improvement in the psychological well-being of people, especially seniors, giving them higher life satisfaction, fewer depression occurrences and a feeling of better social connections.
According to the plans for the future Rovinj therapeutic park, it should be completed in the year 2018. Therefore, we in Wellbe hope that some of our clients and guests will be able to enjoy its benefits very soon.
