Horticultural therapy has proved to be beneficial and effective in promoting mental and physical health...
Horticultural therapy has proved to be beneficial and effective in promoting mental and physical health of patients at Khanh Hoa Psychiatric Hospital.
Horticultural therapy is a professional practice that uses the cultivation of plants and gardening to promote well-being for its participants. Horticultural therapy has not been officially used in Vietnam and Khanh Hoa Province is the first location to pilot the therapy.
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| Patients prepare the seed bed. |
Patient named N.T.T.M born in Ninh Hoa says she has just joined a gardening group. Growing vegetables and flowers makes her feel fine and more comfortable.
Another patient named K in Nha Trang City has also become more active and sociable after joining gardening. “I feel great with planting trees and I hope to recover soon,” he says.
Reportedly, presently there are about 150 inpatients at Khanh Hoa Psychiatric Hospital which offers care and treatment, including medication and therapies.
Gardening in natural environment can reduce stress, improve well-being and thus facilitate rehabilitation and recovery. Therefore, Khanh Hoa Psychiatric Hospital has decided to use gardening and horticultural activities in its rehabilitative programs.
However, great care has been taken in selecting patients for the therapy, because with gardening tools in hand, patients may cause harm to others. Only healing patients are chosen. There are 5 groups, each consisting of 6-7 patients and 2 therapists.
After half a year of operation, the therapy has gained promising results. The 250m2 garden of the hospital has become much greener and more importantly, it has helped nearly 40 patients with mental disorder to improve their wellbeing. Patients are all eager to do gardening.
According to Doctor Dang Duy Thanh, Director of Khanh Hoa Psychiatric Hospital, patients who have fully recovered still have a high risk of relapse when they experience an upheaval in life. Gardening can reduce stress and calm the nerves. Interaction between people and plants improves cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Besides, after harvest, the patients can benefit from their fruit of labor, making them feel useful.
Horticultural therapy helps improve wellbeing and life quality, so it should be expanded, confirms Doctor Dang Duy Thanh. When discharged from the hospital, patients are encouraged to continue with gardening to maintain their life balance.
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