When PPMC began construction on the Radiation-Oncology building, the Flick Family Serenity Garden was removed to make space, leaving the hospital without a green space that offered an escape from hospital’s hustle and bustle. But Presby’s leaders, including Alyson Cole, associate executive director and chief experience officer, quickly developed a plan to reinvest the performance-based funds awarded to the hospital’s behavioral health program back into a space that everyone on campus could enjoy.
Located between the Atwood Café and Scheie, the new Wellness Garden is the beautiful result of a collaborative development process. “This wouldn’t have been possible without our partners at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), who transformed this space into an urban pop-up oasis,” Cole said. The multi-use, all-season garden invites individuals to “sit in quiet contemplation on the Adirondack chairs, engage with others around the fitness loop, or just admire the flowers — living symbols of hope and new beginnings.”
The creation of the garden specifically took into account the needs of the patients in the Wright-Saunders 4 inpatient substance use program. Designing a tobacco-free recreational environment that replaced the former smoking shelter with lawn games, therapeutic planting beds, and an exercise loop provides additional support to patients in recovery.
“Total recovery isn’t just about letting go of things that aren’t good for you,” Julie Dees, MA, LPC, director of Behavioral Health Services, explained. “It’s just as much about incorporating new habits and activities that are good for you and contribute to your total wellness. That is what we envisioned this space being for our patients, their families, and our staff.”
For patients and their family members, the space offers a comforting atmosphere that can help them forget about appointments, treatments, and insurance stresses for a while. Staff members can also take a step back for a moment and re-energize in the fresh air — and perhaps enjoy a game of Connect Four.
PPMC celebrated the garden’s grand opening with a week of activities designed to get staff members into the sunshine. Hospital chef Joe Pontillo led a healthy cooking demo, and managers participated in a lunch and learn focused on engaging teams through wellness. Pepe, an adorable Labrador puppy, took a break from his service training at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center to share smiles and snuggles, and a DIY succulent gardening workshop led by PHS taught staff how to bring a bit of the garden inside.
Staff were also encouraged to test out the circuit training loops developed by Good Shepherd Penn Partners therapists Ali Ladak, Loren Slater, and Betsy Reilly, culminating in a competitive “Lap-a-Thon.” Staff logged more than 1,400 laps (92 miles), and the top five participants — Advertus Gizze, CNA, Diana Estriplet, Kristin Asciutto, RN, Anna Strong, RN, and Kim Calhoun, RN — brought glory to their departments and were awarded Fitbits.
Be sure to take some time to check out the new green space — it may just become your go-to lunch (or lunge) spot!