The Time Garden will be a lovely, serene place for quiet contemplation, peaceful reflection and privacy for terminally ill patients at Colchester Hospital to spend last precious moments, either on their own or with loved ones.
It will include a self-contained log cabin which will be used by patients, including bed-bound patients, and their families. The cabin will have facilities for refreshments and music. Careful planting will help to provide privacy from the rest of the hospital.
The garden could also be used for weddings involving patients who are terminally ill and for patients to be re-united and spend time with a much-loved pet.
Research shows that green space and gardens in hospitals can benefit patients' health and well-being, and can even improve the health of some patients. The garden for terminally ill patients and their families will be the first of its kind in Essex.
We need your help to make this happen - we must begin to build the garden by February 2018.
What we'll deliver:
- Create a beautiful outside space for terminally ill patients to spend time
- Provide pathways so that a bed can be wheeled around the garden
- Build and furnish a cabin so that the garden can be used in all weathers
- Raised flower beds so that bed-bound patients can see and smell the flowers
Why it's a great idea:
However excellent a hospital is, it is still a noisy, clinical and public space. Patients spend long periods of time in the enclosed environment of wards and rooms can feel claustrophobic, with little privacy, fresh air or personal control over the lighting, heat and ventilation.
understandably, dying patients often express a wish to spend time outside during their final days, away from the intrusion of a busy ward.
A common assumption is that people at the end of life will be cared for in a hospice environment but hospices simply can't accommodate everyone who needs in-patient care. We believe it is important that the hospital environment for patients is as good as it can be.
Around 1700 people die every year at Colchester General Hospital; of these a large number will be receiving palliative care for a life-limiting disease.
Patients can spend time in peaceful reflection, dignity and privacy, on their own or with family and even have a visit from a loved pet.
Steps to get it done:
- Raise £10,000 for the foundations and utilities - plumbing and electricity
- Raise £10,000 towards furnishing and equipping the cabin for patients
- Raise £10,000 towards landscaping and planting
- Raise £10,000 towards the cost of the cabin
- Raise £10,000 towards the groundworks - wide paths and ramps
We are proud of this project as it will be the first of its kind in this area. It is innovative and forward thinking, and about improving the life people have left to live. The Time Garden is something we would want for ourselves, our families, our friends and people we work with.
We have talked to many people about the idea of the Time Garden and they have told us that they wished something like that had been available when people they loved had died in hospital. In many cases, they had had depressing experiences of hospital end of life care. The project could help hundreds of patients of all ages and everyone they love. It will help create positive last memories of private moments for those who live on, after the person has gone. We want patients to live well right to the very end of their lives.
We have already raised over £95,000 towards this project, we aim to start building it as soon as possible. We now need to raise a further £50,000. Please help us to do this.
