Authors (including presenting author) :
Leung KYC (1), Lung H H (2), Chan WMM (1), Chan WYM (1), Lo CKJ (2)
Affiliation :
(1)Community Health Resource Centre (2) Cancer Patient Resource Centre
Introduction :
Gardening is a wellness activity for young and old; general public and special care needs groups. Gardening offers opportunities for physical activity and, in the case of community gardens, socialization. In Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), Community Health Resource Centre (CHRC) and Cancer Patient Resource Center (CPRC) designed a hospital-wide programme “Gardening Activity: GREEN Sharing” to promote patient partnership and empowerment initiative in 2018-19.
Objectives :
(1) To engage and empower post-discharge patients and self-help groups as volunteers running the Programme so as to have positive impact on enabling them to physically and emotionally cope with their chronic illnesses
(2) To involve patients for care support and strengthen the role of patient groups through experience sharing of the Programme with new patients, clinical departments and visitors in workshops, gardening activities and exhibition.
Methodology :
With hospital management support, a unique open space on the roof of a building was allocated as a community garden for the Programme. In August 2018, CHRC and CPRC recruited two patient leaders to help designing the Programme and promoting the initiative in hospital. Under support and encouragement, these patient leaders learned the skills of organic farming, played as trainers to conduct two educational workshops for transferring skills and knowledge, then formed a gardening team of 22 patients committed into this one-year Programme. Thereafter, the team proactively self-scheduled their rosters, pairing-up to start the gardening practices from October 2018. The group work included garden setting-up, soil preparation, planting, irrigation, pest prevention and suppression and harvest. A full-week exhibition and a closing ceremony were held to share the experiences and results of the Programme in hospital. A satisfaction survey was conducted at the end.
Result & Outcome :
During October 2018 to October 2019, the involved patients had contributed a total of 1,260 volunteer services hours in the Programme. Twenty-two types of product were harvested and displayed in the exhibits. In the closing ceremony, the patient leaders shared their joy and happiness successfully forming support networks and nurturing abilities in helping themselves and the others. All the survey respondents gave positive feedback particularly the process and peer sharing enabled them to build confidence and improve quality of life. The Programme was published in four newspapers, HASLink and had a radio interview in November to December 2019.
