Nature Rooms: Concepts to Improve Resident’s Experience in Care Homes
When considering the healthcare sector, patient comfort and privacy should always be a top priority. The need for a tranquil environment within healthcare settings, particularly in care homes, cannot be overemphasized. Recent times have exposed the challenges faced by residents, family carers, and care home staff. The pandemic exacerbated the importance of innovative solutions that cater to the emotional well-being and mental health of all those in the care home environment as well as resident’s families. One of the ways mental well-being can be ensured is through the implementation of nature rooms, or spaces where care home residents and staff can experience calmness and reconnect with nature.
The imperative of care home innovation
The need to safeguard the well-being of residents and staff in care homes became even more pressing. Moving a relative into a care home often brought heightened levels of depressive symptoms and feelings of guilt. It’s therefore vital that families have reasons to be put at ease before making the decision to move their loved ones into such facilities.
Looking at another facet of the care homes sector in the UK, care home staff have consistently faced challenging working conditions, with research indicating varying levels of burnout, impacting their abilities to do their jobs. In the care home setting, care home staff can be emotionally affected especially when facing increased workloads. This therefore also calls for innovative approaches to ensuring care home staff wellbeing.
The concept of nature rooms
Amid a challenging backdrop, the idea of "Nature Rooms" is a potential solution to improve the quality of life for residents, offer support to family carers, and reduce burnout among care home staff.
Nature rooms, also known as biophilic spaces, have gained recognition for their ability to transform the care home environment into a sanctuary of healing and relaxation. These spaces are thoughtfully designed to bridge the gap between the modern built environment and the innate human connection to the natural world.
The Biophilic Concept
The term "biophilia" refers to the intrinsic bond that humans share with the natural world. Extensive research has demonstrated the significant impact of nature on human health and well-being. In an increasingly urbanised world, maintaining this connection to nature is vital. Architects, interior designers, and healthcare professionals have recognised the importance of biophilic design, aiming to enhance people's well-being within man-made structures by harnessing the healing power of nature.
Biophilic design utilises natural elements to create environments that replicate the calming and therapeutic effects of nature. It aims to promote holistic wellness and well-being by seamlessly integrating nature into interior spaces. In essence, it seeks to restore the harmony between the modern built environment and our innate connection to the natural world.
Biophilic design acknowledges that human beings thrive when connected to nature, and incorporating this principle into care home environments is a game-changer.
The health benefits of being connected to nature.
The health benefits of being connected to nature are well-documented. Exposure to natural light and nature-inspired settings has a profound positive influence on human well-being:
1. Enhanced mental well-being: Nature rooms wield a profound positive influence on the mental well-being of residents, family carers, and care home staff. The exposure to natural light and soothing imagery plays a pivotal role in diminishing stress and anxiety, ushering in an environment of serenity.
2. Respect for Privacy: One crucial aspect of providing a therapeutic environment in care homes is the preservation of privacy, particularly for residents. Family carers entrust their loved ones to the care home's protection, and preserving the dignity and privacy of these residents is of paramount importance.
3. Improved sleep: Nature rooms and exposure to natural light have huge benefits on human sleep quality, which in turn has a positive influence on mental well-being.
Nature rooms can therefore help to harness these benefits and make them a reality for residents and staff in care homes, thereby improving the overall experience in these facilities.
Customised solutions for nature rooms
Nature rooms, founded upon the principles of biophilic design, represent a potent solution to enhance the well-being of residents and the mental health of family carers and care home staff. By infusing elements inspired by nature and abolishing reflective screens, care homes can create environments that nurture healing, safeguard dignity, and foster emotional well-being.
In an age where the quality of care and well-being of residents is paramount, the integration of nature into care home environments is not just a choice; it's a necessity. As care homes labour to offer spaces that cultivate healing and respect for all the individuals involved it's about embracing the healing power of nature and enhancing the lives of those residing in care homes. Staff and management need to ensure there are opportunities to experience the dignity and respect they truly deserve while providing them with a space where they can unwind and experience serenity and peace.
Creating nature rooms with innovative tech
Products like digital windows and sky ceilings have the potential to revolutionize the care home experience and contribute to the well-being of residents, family carers, and care home staff alike. Sky Inside's product lineup, including Living Skies™ and Feature Ceilings and Windows, offers an array of customisation options to cater to the distinctive needs and aspirations of care homes. With stunning, realistic displays of natural scenery, these products possess the transformative ability to reshape spaces, rendering them more comfortable and inspirational and are certified as medical equipment.