15th August 2024
Belfast Trust has created a beautiful sensory garden in the grounds of Musgrave Park Hospital’s Meadowlands Rehabilitation Unit.
Meadowlands specialises in the care of older people who have suffered fractures or need support following an acute admission to hospital. It also has an outpatients department. Its staff includes doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, Healthcare Assistants, social workers and various support staff. The unit has 71 in-patients and the external environment of Meadowlands offers them a unique opportunity to connect with others and take part in physical activity to improve well-being.
The Trust created the new garden in response to the needs of families who want to see their loved ones for some private time together and so staff can have a place to decompress from the pressures of delivering quality care and treatment.
Meadowlands Service Manager, Nurse Sinead McDonald said: “Meadowlands needed a garden for patients, their relatives, carers and staff to relax and find some tranquillity from the hustle and bustle of extremely busy wards.”
“We received money from the Trust’s Charitable Funds Team to help develop the space and we worked with our colleagues in the Estates Team to create a garden that is a dementia friendly patient-centred safe space.” said Sinead.
“Our staff, patients and their families have named it ‘The Meadows Garden’ and we hope it will become integral to patient care. We have created something that our older people, their families and our staff can enjoy now and in the future as a place to relax while on their rehabilitation journey.” she said.
Colin McMullan, Interim Director for Adult Community, Older People’s Services and Allied Health Professionals said: “this is a wonderful facility that will transform the Meadowlands ward environment and be central to patient care as well as providing a lovely outdoor space for our staff to enjoy. We look forward to hearing from our older people and their carers and families on how the Meadows Garden has added to their hospital experience and aided their recovery.”
