The positive impact of nature on human health is often attributed to nature’s inherent stress reducing effects. As (chronic) stress has a well-known detrimental effect on health, it can directly or indirectly contribute to the epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and mental disorders. How do we behave when feeling stressed? When we feel […]
healing environments
New podcast series explores how we are all affected by sound
Acoustics, sound, noise. All impact our lives every day. Yet it is not a subject that is often discussed. So, Ecophon UK and Ireland have decided to launch a podcast to do exactly that. The new podcast, “A sound effect on people” is a monthly show that explores how we are all affected by sound. […]
Healing environments – Care for Sound
Care for Sound symposium on healing, healthcare and it´s relation to sound! Healing environments can greatly impact a patient’s hospital stay Here are two examples from the UK Patient Opinion website: “There were no doors only curtains, the lady next to me coughed all night and the two patients next to her were snoring. The […]
Hospital sound environments – we can make them sound better!
Sound environments – hospitals are noisy Often very noisy. Hardly ever even close to the maximum limit of 35 dB set by the World Health Organization (WHO) that would be considered a healing sound environment. Both patients and staff can be adversely affected by this noisy sound environment. The growing number of technological devices, an […]
Healing environment in The Meander Medical Centre
The Meander Medical Centre in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, was built entirely according to healing environment principles. The recently opened Meander Medical Centre in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, was built entirely according to these principles. The layout and design of this hospital are intended to facilitate much-needed rest and promote the recovery process. At a recent seminar […]
A healing environment for violent offenders
Violent offenders From the outside, Helix looks like a modern office complex on a hill nestled amid beautiful, unspoiled scenery. From the large windows of the patients’ rooms, you can gaze out for miles over a panorama of spruce and pine forests. Helix, opened in December 2012, is a forensic psychiatric care facility. Many of […]
Healing in the Jungle
The Jungle Happiness is a great healer. We want the stay in a hospital to be a fun and exciting experience for the kids,” explains Tomas Gedda, Head of fundraising at the Foundation for Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Gothenburg. Four years have now passed since Tomas Gedda embarked on the successful healing jungle rooms […]
What it sounds like to be an acute patient
Acute patients The healthcare world is filled with noise; alarms, people chatting, cleaners pushing carts and much more. It becomes so familiar that staff doesn’t even think about it, repressing it becomes second nature. So it may be easy to forget that the patient is probably having a completely different experience. Especially an acute patient […]
How the latest healthcare design trends impact the acoustics
The latest trends in healthcare design aim to construct environments that are fit for healing and consider the patients’ experience. Hospitals seem to be undergoing the same transition as offices did a while back; they are becoming more open, using more glass and light surfaces, and making the most of natural daylight and splashes of […]
Hospitals acoustics discussed at HOPE Congress
“Sound Environment affects the healthcare outcome” was the name of a session held at the HOPE Congress 2014 in Amsterdam. HOPE Congress The session, presented by Maria Quinn, a Concept Developer for Healthcare, Sweden, and Jikke Reinten (Concept Developer for Healthcare, Netherlands), explained how hospital noise can be reduced. Also how to work with acoustic […]
