Therapeutic Gardens in Healthcare Institutions: benefits, characteristics and implementation 

By Carla Pimentel

Therapeutic gardens are a very old practice in the area of health and, nowadays, they gained strength from the discussion about how the connection with nature can influence human well-being, in addition to the pressing concern for the environment that surrounds us, which includes health services, which are intended for the recovery, prevention and/or promotion of healthy states for all people who circulate there, not just patients. Brazil is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. The implementation of therapeutic gardens is an action that promotes environmental, social and economic benefits, and thus contributes to the sustainable agenda. This guide, therefore, is an indispensable resource for professionals in different areas of knowledge, such as architects, biologists, botanists, landscapers, health designers, managers of institutions at all levels of health care, therapists, clinicians and other publics interested in health and nature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Editora Lacre
• Release date: May 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9786589884194

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

When a human awakens to a great dream and throws the full force of his soul over it, all the universe conspires in your favor.

GOETHE.

My deepest gratitude to God, for giving me the strength, wisdom and tranquility to complete this study, because from Him, through Him and for Him are all things.

For him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

ROMANOS 11:36.

I want to gratefully thank everyone who in one way or another made my heart beat faster as I went deeper into this study: my children, Marina and Leonardo, my grandson David, my husband Brian Michael, and dear friends who encouraged me the whole time.

Undoubtedly to Aga, Dr. Agnieszka Ewa Latawiec, my supervisor in the master’s program, for all her affection and for believing in my wish to reveal so many benefits of nature for human well-being. I needed someone who believed in this to encourage me to move forward and she led me, always with love and wisdom.

To Ana Paula Morais de Lima, who became a great friend and my co-supervisor, without her with me in several encounters, through my times of anguish and tears, the path would have been even more difficult.

To Dr. Eliseth Leão (Lis Leão), for hosting me with such promptness and affection for the only face-to-face interview I could schedule due to the pandemic period. We have shown great affinity for the very first moment, we never let go of each other and we have plans for innovative projects to continue our research in partnership. I also thank you for the photos that were kindly lent to illustrate this guide.

To the professors and colleagues at PUC-Rio, especially those from the professional master’s degree in sustainability, for the exchanges, teachings, and answers to so many questions!

And to my moments of introspection, of diving inside myself and simply getting from deep down what really matters to me: my essence, my capacity to be resilient and my desire to always offer the best of myself to life.

PREFACE

Therapeutic gardens constitute an ancient practice in health care and have now gained force from the discussion of how connection with nature may influence human well-being, in addition to the pressing concern with the environment that surrounds us, including health services intended for recovery, prevention, and/or promotion of healthy states for all people who visit them, not just patients. There is also increasing discussion and study to expand the scientific evidence on nature-based interventions. Additionally, quality standards are beginning to be developed for the certification of natural areas that propose to be therapeutic. In this way,