Wordless Wednesday, 5/16/12 – Bearded Iris
May 16th, 2012
Wordless Wednesdsay, 5/9/12 – English bluebells
May 9th, 2012
Bluebells at Wayland Wood, Norfolk, UK. Photo by Nedra Westwater
Happy National Nurses Week!
May 8th, 2012
Jacqueline Fiske Healing Garden, Jupiter Medical Center, Jupiter, FL. Photo courtesy of Studio Sprout
“So never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself.” – Florence Nightingale
Let’s hear it for nurses!
If anyone knew the value of fresh air and access to the outdoors, it was Florence Nightingale (1820-1910); her birthday is on May 12th, and National Nurses Week began on May 6th.
Therapeutic and restorative gardens in hospitals and other healthcare facilities are not just for patients and visitors. Staff can benefit just as much – and sometimes even more. The outdoors is a critical place of respite where people who deal with life-and-death situations can go, by themselves or with colleagues, to take a physical, mental, and/or emotional break. Whenever possible, healthcare facilities should provide separate garden spaces for staff. This separation of space for different users with different needs can be as important as the space itself. Even a view of the outdoors has been found to benefit staff, for example by reducing stress and improving alertness (which, of course, benefits the patients as well!). Read the rest of this entry »
May is Older Americans Month
May 7th, 2012
Senior hikers cross near a waterfall. Photo by Amriphoto
We’re never too old to play!
Children are not the only ones who reap health benefits from being in nature. Adults of all ages, including the eldest among us, have much to gain by routinely accessing the outdoors in gardens, parks, urban trails, and other green spaces.
For the past four decades, the federal Administration on Aging has promoted May as “Older Americans Month” as a way to encourage communities to sponsor activities and celebrations that keep elders, 62 and older, engaged, active and involved in their lives. “Never Too Old to Play” is this May’s theme.
As we age, access to hospitable, navigable and social environments becomes more important to maintaining overall health – fitness, flexibility, strength and social support. Numerous studies conclude that regular exercise helps elders to prevent falls and fractures; reduce their risk of strokes, heart disease, and some cancers; and lessen cognitive decline.
Read more about the health of older Americans by visiting the Administration on Aging’s Older Americans web page.
We’re not usually in the habit of referring people to business websites, but Must Have Play is a company that focuses on play and playground for elders, and they have some good information on the why’s and how’s: www.musthaveplay.com. And here’s a guest blog post by Must Have Play’s founder, Michael Cohen, on the Aging in Place website: “Have you heard? A playground for elders!“
Community Engagement & the Built Environment conference
April 30th, 2012
Head Start Preschool Play Yard, Seattle, WA. Photo by Filiz Satir
Community Built Association Conference: May 30-June 2, 2012
The Community Built Association (CBA) will hold its annual conference in Portland, OR, May 30 – June 2. The interdisciplinary gathering is open to all those interested in community engagement through the lenses of art, play, nature, and the built environment. The conference features presentations and panel discussions related to play environments, gardens and green spaces, public art, and community-engaged architecture. The conference at Portland’s Tabor Space, 5441 S.E. Belmont Street will include:
- Presentations and discussions from leaders in the field of community-based practice;
- Hands-on workshops that will engage participants’ creativity while they contribute something of lasting value to the local community;
- Tours of local “place-making” sites around Portland, where volunteers have shaped community spaces with their own hands over time; and
- Informal networking and sharing sessions with inspirational community builders from Portland and around the country.
Artists, architects, builders, organizers, gardeners, planners, and others are all welcome. To learn more and register for the conference, visit the CBA Web site: http://communitybuilt.org/conference/portland_2012.
