well-intentioned cocoon
When Melanie van der Velde worked as a psychologist, she saw that there were many literal and figurative barriers to getting out. “Everyone could see that the residents enjoyed being outside. Instead of stress or behavioral problems, there was fun and the residents could enjoy themselves. But everyone also saw that the building, the way it worked, the policies—the physical, social, and organizational environment—were not made for going out. Well-intentioned, it was a safe cocoon to keep everyone inside.
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Practice and science go hand in hand.
“As a researcher, I wanted to know how we could make going out a natural part of the day,” she continues. Step by step, the wishes and needs of residents, family members and staff were combined with scientific research recommendations during the design process. For example, a survey was launched to collect these wishes and a checklist was developed with information from science. The garden was designed by landscape architect Els Beekhuis van der Weijde, in collaboration with the nursing home project group and representatives of various disciplines within the organization (such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists). Based on everyone’s expertise, they strove to provide the best possible experience for residents, while always keeping safety and experience in mind.
Tips for healthcare professionals who want to start researching
- Realize that you are already busy with small experiences each day. For example, when you discover that singing a favorite song upon waking makes the resident less anxious.
- Ask around your organization what research is already being done and who is involved. Ask if you could grab a coffee sometime to go over all the details or come in for a day.
- Got a great idea? Write a research proposal! There are academic bodies, like UNC-ZH, that award an annual incentive grant for one of the submitted ideas. This also includes mentoring from a researcher, so it can really help you get started in the world of research.
Scientific proof
Would this project have been possible without the scientific research? Melanie van der Velde: “No, this garden could not have been developed properly without the proper scientific evidence.” I know this because I had already experienced it as a psychologist elsewhere without scientific research. Although I had built a beautiful garden, I learned that it is more complicated than I expected to make going out in a suitable environment part of daily care practice. You see and hear this very often. Beautiful nursing home gardens are created, but they are not used as much as before. Through our research, we know what points to consider in the design, but also what is recommended in terms of the garden design process.’
Adapting the testing ground to the needs
The researcher stresses that the biopark has been and will continue to be a testing ground. “We use evidence-based practices, we monitor, evaluate and modify where necessary. Despite my critical nature, I think the park has turned out to be magical. It has been thought through in detail, it is accessible to all clients, informal carers and healthcare professionals, it is natural, it is biodiverse and it is truly an oasis close to the city.”
Tips for researchers who want to better connect with practice
- Participate in the practice and gain experience. It is a completely different and complex world, and you will never be able to recognize it from a distance.
- Work with practitioners as you write your research idea or protocol and involve them at every stage of your research. They are the practitioner experts, and you are the research experts. You need each other.
- Make sure that people in the field who participate in your research feel seen and heard. They are easily accessible and visible.
The PhD candidate concludes with a nice message for healthcare professionals: “There can be no useful nursing home research without collaboration with healthcare professionals.” Healthcare professionals are, among other things, the experts in the daily lives of nursing home residents. Know this, recognize your value and use it to make tomorrow a little better, not only for the residents, but also for yourself.
Share knowledge
Logo of the Academic Network for Elderly Care in the Southern Netherlands UNC-ZH: Gain, share and apply knowledge together. This has been constantly observed during the research process. According to Monique Caljouw, Vice President and Scientific Coordinator of UNC-ZH, the research has already generated a lot of knowledge, which the network is happy to share with practitioners. This is already happening through knowledge cafes for healthcare professionals from various healthcare institutions and national seminars. Ultimately, the idea is that getting out of the house will become a permanent part of care.
Want to know more about the bio-garden and its necessity? Then watch the video and read the full research at: The impact of garden use on people with dementia – UNC-ZHThe video provides more information about the origins of the idea, the benefits of the garden, the design process, and spreading the knowledge. Don’t make getting out of the house a luxury, make it a necessity.
Part of this research is the redesign of a nursing home garden based on evidence-based practice (EBP). The research is being carried out in partnership between Peter van Voorst, the Academic Networks for Elderly Care, the University Network for the Care Sector South Holland (UNC-ZH) and the Academic Workshop for Elderly Care Limburg (AWO Limburg).
