Neuroscience Experiments to Verify the Geometry of Healing Environments

2020 ◽  
pp. 58-72
Author(s):  
Nikos A. Salingaros
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Nadine Al-Bqour ◽  
Shaher Rababeh ◽  
Rama Al-Rabady

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a practical framework that combines the psychological supportive design features in hospitals’ healing environments, also, to examine the implementation of these features in a Jordanian public hospital. Background: Positive psychological feelings are the hidden powerful treatment in hospitals. Although that Jordan represents a third-world country, it is counted as one of the most sought-after healthcare locations in the Middle East for its distinguished healthcare serveries (Private Hospitals Association, 2019). Nevertheless, the architectural and interior design of the healthcare facilities in Jordan usually ignores the inpatients’ psychological needs. Also, there is an absence of practicing a set of psychological supportive design features to guide the hospitals’ design in Jordan. Method: Design features are obtained from the main theories in the field of supportive healing environments. A large Jordanian public hospital was selected to be assessed in terms of these features within the developed practical framework. This study adopts a mixed methodology; data are collected using different methods, mainly literature review, site inventory, and inpatients’ questionnaire. Results: The studied hospital remains moderately considerable in terms of the psychologically supportive design features. However, the nature connectivity aspect is not satisfactorily considered in the studied hospital design. Conclusion: This study suggests a responsive design that fosters interaction and integration with surrounding nature in order to increase levels of connectivity with nature. The studied design features in this study could work as guiding principles for Jordanian hospitals’ designers.


2018 ◽  
pp. 371-389
Author(s):  
Terri Zborowsky ◽  
Mary Jo Kreitzer

An optimal healing environment is created through the deep and dynamic interplay between people, place, process and culture. Over 1,000 papers have been published linking the physical environment to outcomes related to patients and staff. Integrative nurses are well positioned to be leaders in the planning of healing spaces. This chapter defines “healing environment”; describes research on the impact of the designed environment; and discusses the effects of such factors as nature, daylight, positive distractions, aesthetics (including color), and an ambient environment on health and wellbeing. A case study of an optimal healing environment using North Hawaii Community Hospital is presented.


2014 ◽  
pp. 84-100
Author(s):  
Terri Zborowsky ◽  
Mary Jo Kreitzer

Creating an optimal healing environment requires attentiveness to the built environment as well as care processes, culture, and competencies of care providers and leadership. There are over 1,000 studies that link the physical environment to outcomes such as health care quality, patient safety, reduction of stress and improvements in patient safety. Key design elements highlighted include access to nature, access to daylight, positive distractions, and the ambient environment.


Author(s):  
Lingchao Meng ◽  
Chun Zhu ◽  
Kuo-Hsun Wen

It is commonly recognized that street spaces in high-density cities are able to cause negative impacts in terms of residents’ physical and mental health. This research intends to investigate and analyze how residents use street spaces in a high-density city in order to construct a healing environment for these street spaces. The research was conducted in Macao’s old town by using spatial syntax methods to define the research areas, and implemented on-site observations that evaluated the age of the residents in the space and the conditions of their usage of the space. The study collected data through expert grading and employed the Analytic Hierarchy Process to calculate the weight of each indicator in order to attain accurate and objective research outcomes. The evaluation results indicate that the current Macao street spaces are poor healing environments. By analyzing the effective factors for constructing a healing environment in these street spaces, so that residents can get more space for healing when they use it, the paper aims to provide a model example for those who are involved with city governance, planning and design.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-185
Author(s):  
Ifah Arbel ◽  
Bing Ye ◽  
Alex Mihailidis

Objectives: This study evaluated the user experiences (UX) of stroke patients residing in the adaptive healing room (AHR) and compared them to the UX of patients residing in standard private rooms (SPRs). Background: Healing environments in healthcare settings can promote patients’ healing processes, outcomes, and psychological well-being. The AHR was designed as a healing environment for stroke patients and has been previously evaluated in laboratory settings. This study was the first to evaluate it in its intended context—a stroke rehabilitation unit. Methods: The UX of 10 patients residing in the AHR and 15 patients residing in SPRs were collected via structured interviews with a set of open-ended questions and analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results: The AHR design features (orientation screen, skylight, and nature view) were rated positively by most patients. The skylight emerged as the least favorable. Responses to open-ended questions revealed that UX may be further improved if patients have more control over some of the settings (e.g., light intensity and nature views), and if the system allowed for more stimulation for patients at later stages of their recovery. Additionally, the results suggest that patients in the AHR have better UX than patients in the SPRs. Conclusion: The AHR has the potential to improve UX in the stroke rehabilitation unit. Patient feedback can be used to refine the AHR before carrying out clinical trials to assess the effect of the AHR on patient outcomes (e.g., sleep, mood, and length of stay) and stroke recovery.


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