Did you know that spending time outdoors improves your overall health? Research shows that spending time in natural spaces reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, and increases happiness. The transition to hospice care can be difficult for patients, so spending time with them outdoors can significantly improve their quality of life and emotional well-being. Here are 7 meaningful ways to bring the healing comfort of nature to your loved one in hospice care.
1. Take a local nature walk
Staying active and healthy is important, especially during hospice care. Keeping your loved one moving improves their quality of life, and the sun boosts their Vitamin D levels. The good news is that you don’t have to go far to do so. If your loved one is able, the two of you can go for a nature walk in the neighborhood or around one of their favorite parks in town. If their mobility is limited, you can push them in a wheelchair during your walk.
Before you go, make sure your hospice patient wears comfortable shoes and has proper sun protection. For your walk, choose a flat, paved path for easy mobility and wheelchair navigation. Your path should also have frequent stopping places so your loved one can rest. If they get tired while walking, you could consider the next option.
2. Go on a scenic drive
A change of scenery can be therapeutic for hospice patients who feel cooped up for too long. If leaving the house is possible, you could take them on a scenic drive, which offers your loved one a complete environment change and an opportunity to connect with nature. As you drive, roll the windows down and listen to the sounds of nature to fully immerse yourselves in the calm, tranquil setting. The natural environment can help reduce any stress, pain, or anxiety that your loved one may have been feeling, and a change in location can boost their mood tremendously.
3. Sit on a porch or patio
A shaded porch or patio offers a gentle bridge to the outdoors. You can encourage your loved one to enjoy the space by gently helping them move outside, whether they can walk or require a wheelchair. This activity allows your person to enjoy the fresh air and the surrounding natural landscape without straying too far from their comfort zone. If you wish, you can sit outside together, which can encourage them to relax, breathe a little easier, and enjoy the world around them.
4. Curate an indoor garden
Does your loved one enjoy gardening? If so, you could put together a small indoor garden for them to look after. Select low-maintenance plants and place the garden on an easily accessible surface. Taking care of a garden can help your loved one establish a routine while they receive hospice care and expose them to the therapeutic benefits of nature right in their home. Some benefits include engaging their senses, reminding them of pleasant memories, and keeping their mind active.
5. Set up a birdfeeder outside their window
Birdwatching is a thoughtful pastime that doesn’t require too much movement or effort. You can buy a birdfeeder and birdseed, and then set up the station outside a window. Birdwatching offers a soothing, engaging distraction that invites hospice patients to be present in the moment and safely observe wildlife. You might consider getting them a pair of binoculars and a bird book, so they can identify the different birds that visit them.
6. Bring plants to their room
If your loved one is unable to leave their room, bring the beauty of the outdoors inside. Indoor plants can help liven up the space with greenery and color, purify the air, and give your person something pretty to look at. You can buy a couple of their favorite plants and place them in pots that you and your family decorate. This way, your loved one has something special from you.
7. Open a window
A simple way to bring nature to your loved one is to open a window and let fresh air into their home. This way, they can still enjoy nature even if they can’t leave their home. Frequent air circulation can also remove stale air and lingering odors from the home. By opening a window, you let your loved one rest and breathe easily as they continue their hospice journey.
Hospice care is a journey centered on the patient’s comfort, dignity, and quality of life. While medical support addresses their physical health, connecting with nature prioritizes your loved one’s emotional and spiritual well-being when they need it most.
Whether your loved one feels a gentle breeze through an open window, watches birds gather at a feeder, or simply rests on a park bench under a tree, the simplest nature experiences can bring peace and relief during the hospice journey.
