Greening of healthcare facilities
The Outdoor Care project is about customised greening of healthcare facilities, based on the idea that nature has a beneficial effect on health. In the first place for patients, but also for staff, visitors and local residents.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Antwerp (UA: chair Care and the Natural Living Environment) and the Antwerp Regional Landscapes (Voorkempen, Rivierenland, Kleine en Grote Nete, Schelde-Durme). The UA adresses the medical side of the story based on measurable factors and speaks the same language as the healthcare institutions, which is very important in bringing care to the outside world. This is where the Regional Landscapes pick up to further translate nature and landscape values as well as perception and feeling into practice, into effective greening. This work process is further developed into a tool to be used by other health care facilities.
In total, at least 4 care institutions will be involved in activities ranging from effective (re)construction of outdoor space, planning of outdoor space, establishing relationships between care institution and green/natural environment outside their own borders to successful projects as inspiration and reference ... both in urban and landscape contexts. The project believes that through this approach with evidence, process and support, among others, it can enthuse and convince even more care institutions to connect with nature or landscape.