A growing body of research suggests that certain environmental conditions may positively contribute to the healing process. Consequently, the medical and design professions are now exploring how the medical environment - both indoors and out - can better support the health and well being of its patients and their caregivers. Landscape architects and environmental psychologists are contributing to the growing interest in healing environments by exploring the relationship between nature, therapeutic gardens, and patient healing.One result of this interest has been the formulation of design recommendations for therapeutic gardens serving specific populations such as those with Alzheimer's Disease, AIDS or psychiatric illnesses. However, little attention has been given to therapeutic gardens designed to meet the needs of cancer patients even though a number of such gardens already exist. The purpose of this project is to identify design guidelines for therapeutic gardens that support the health and well being of cancer patients and to use these guidelines to design a model garden.The research for this project focused on two areas. First, literature review and interviews with employees of Ball Memorial Hospital were used to establish a base knowledge of cancer, including the emotional, physical and psychological characteristics associated with it. Next, characteristics of healing environments for cancer patients were determined through literature review, review of case studies and interviews with Ball Memorial Hospital employees. Based upon this research, design guidelines were established for therapeutic gardens serving cancer patients and applied in a design for Ball Memorial Hospital's soon to be completed CancerCenter. / Department of Landscape Architecture
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/187305 |
| Date | January 2002 |
| Creators | Chalfant, Cheryl Lynn |
| Contributors | Hunt, Martha A. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | 96 leaves : ill. (some col.), plans (some col.) ; 28 cm. + 2 design plans. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | n-us-in |
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