1. Children’s Restorative Garden at Paediatric Ward of Batu Pahat Hospital Prepared by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ismail bin Said, UTM, Skudai

2. Children’s Garden at Batu Pahat Hospital

3. Children’s Restorative Garden at Paediatric Ward of Batu Pahat Hospital _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Meaning of Restoration in Children’s Healthcare Restoration is a casual relationship of man with the environment; the cause is the physical elements and natural forces of the environment and the effect is health recovery. It is the positive change in physiological or psychological wellbeing of an individual after physical interaction with the environment and social transaction with others. Moreover, in children’s healthcare, restoration is the positive shift of functioning that is from low functioning to the higher level; a state of well-being. Restorative environment is a physical setting that renews cognitive, physical and social performances or tasks of individuals including children PERCEIVED NATURAL ENVIORNMENT REDUCED STRESS IMPROVED HEALTH Hypothesised relationship between environments and health It appears that restoration of children in hospital’s garden is a process that begins and ends in the ward. The process is shown in an assessment model of restorative experience. It is important to note that the size of the segment presented in the model is not representing the degree of restoration. It is a relative representation that playing with the garden features and interaction with people result to highest restorative effect in which all three functioning are at high levels. Assessment Model of Restoration in a Hospital Garden The Assessment Model of Patient Restorative Experience in Garden of Paediatric Ward Locate the garden next to the paediatric ward so that children can view it directly from their beds or from the playroom. Having the garden on the same level of the ward, preferably on the ground level, ease patients to get to it, and facilitate their caregivers to supervise them, perhaps by overlooking them from the ward. Subdivide the garden to several play areas and equipped them with a variety of play features and plants. Site Planning Provide a variety of garden features that afford many modes of play and feedbacks, possibly, four to eight features in a play area. Provide a uniform, even-length lawn area to give the effect of natural greenness and coherence. Add textured-materials such as sand and pavement to increase the diversity of the ground textures but the lawn should dominate the ground plane. Garden Features and Structures Compose a coherent and balanced planting scheme in the garden consisting of flowering and foliage plants which provide shade, fruit and beauty. Provide privacy for family by enclosing small and secluded space using plant massing. Introduce a variety of plants including palms, flowering shrubs, gingers and climbers to attract and harbour wildlife such as birds and insects. Planting and Refuge Layout of the circulation and related facilities should be recognised by the children as visual cues to orient and direct them into the garden and back to the ward. Provide a clear hierarchy of pathways in the garden leading to the play areas. Primary path should a direct route into the garden. Provide even, tactile surfaces to all circulation i.e. various textured surfaces including lawn, sand, granolithic pavement and timber decking Wayfinding and Circulation Children and caregivers must be protected from public intrusions. In other words, the garden should be open only to the children and their caregivers. However, as been observed during the field investigation, the children were not disturbed by the presence of children whom were residents in the hospital complex. This phenomenon suggests it is permissible to allow same age group of non-patients to join the patients to play in the garden. Security Allow the children to directly experience the microclimatic factors that generate affective responses either to be with or to avoid. Semi-dense or dense-canopied trees such as handkerchief tree and Talaman tree (Dalbergia oliverii) also provide good shade from the tropical sun that may raise the temperature to 33 0 C in mid-afternoon. Locate the trees at appropriate distance that would not cast deep shadow to ward, possibly 6 to 7 meters from the building to allow sunlight reaching into the building. Micro climate Design and Planning of Restorative Garden Children behavior affects most on the therapy garden design. Base on the observation of their behavior, it is found that play is the main activity, which involve effectively in children life. Prepared by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ismail bin Said, UTM, Skudai