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| Feng Shui can work wonders at hospitals and clinics | ||
| When our loved ones or someone dear is ill and one needs to visit a hospital or clinic, most of us feel the discomfort of being in an alien place greeted by people dressed in white with the walls too coloured in white and the smell of the heavy fumigation. Adapting feng shui, one could make the place brighter and more comfortable to the patients and their visitors. In the UK and Canada, many hospitals have adopted interiors, very different from the run-of-the- mill hospitals, and have made use of feng shui techniques. These have further enhanced the feel of the place and have balanced the energy flow. Designed to be functional, hospitals and clinics often have florescent lighting, all-white walls, metal furniture, and built-in desks and bookcases. As a result, healthcare settings can feel cold and impersonal, contributing to a patient’s level of anxiety and discomfort. Over the years it has been noticed that patients, families, and even medical staff appear calm and relaxed in settings that incorporate the principles of feng Shui. Healthcare providers can modify such environments using feng Shui principles. By making simple and often inexpensive changes, clinicians can create environments to help people feel comfortable communicating with one another. I would like to suggest some basic and very general guidelines for a hospital or a clinic, to bear a sign of support and confidence to the people coming in there. These are general suggestions and a lot more could be achieved when we adopt these with some of the traditional compass school feng shui techniques. Take the case of ‘Family Dental Care’, a dental clinic. The space was 'fengshuied' taking into account the compass directions of the building, main door and placement of the dental chair from a feng shui point of view. Interior colours, desk alignment, placement of water feature, all added to the comfort, feel and ambience of the clinic making the patients feel a lot more comfortable and at ease. Remember, going to a dentist is something which one dreads, but the right environment could lighten the discomfort and put one at ease. Walking into this dentist clinic is quite pleasant and inviting as the energy of this place is unique. Lighting Most healthcare settings use florescent lights that function by flickering on and off, upto 60 times per second. While this is too rapid for the eye to see, this flicker is noticed on a subliminal level and can cause fatigue. To offset this effect, add lamps that use incandescent bulbs, or let in natural light by opening window shades and blinds. Colour Medical facilities tend to be monochromatic. Clinicians often wear white uniforms or lab coats and work in rooms with white or off-white walls. An all-white environment could create a sense of low energy. To offset this feeling, think of ways to introduce more Colour. Consider wearing uniforms that have patterns, or add pins or scarves to brighten up white lab coats. As appropriate, suggest that your facility use wallpaper borders or decorative accents to add Colour to treatment areas and public spaces. Sound Healthcare settings can be noisy places with frequent overhead announcements, numerous hallway conversations and equipment that are wheeled from one space to another. To offset these institutional noises, speak slowly and use a soft tone of voice. Create a sense of privacy by playing soothing music or relaxation tapes, filtering out intrusive background sounds. Living things Plants and animals often help calm people. While these may be banned in healthcare settings due to concerns about contamination or allergies, consider using high-quality silk plants as a way to introduce a feeling of living things to the environment. Aquariums are the best solution, to soothe nerves and make the place more pleasant. Movement Corners are traditionally quiet areas. Increase the sense of movement and energy in these spaces by suspending decor or wind chimes from the ceiling. Objects to raise spirits When a patient comes in for some treatment or gets admitted to the hospital, encourage him to bring in familiar items from home. Whether a child brings in a favourite toy or an adult wears his or her own slippers, familiar objects can help patients feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar and often stressful environment. Artwork Photographs and artwork can also calm people. Select works that are appropriate to the specific setting, such as pictures of children for use in a pediatric clinic. Use a variety of artwork as not everyone’s taste is the same. As appropriate, include some softly coloured landscapes to help people relax and visually escape to a tranquil setting. Consider putting pictures on the ceiling in rooms where patients will be lying on their backs for extended periods of time. Furniture layout Many healthcare facilities have large open spaces, high ceilings, and long corridors. Use furniture and decorations to create the feeling of smaller and more intimate spaces. This can be done, for example, by using moveable bookcases or hanging star decals on the ceiling. For patients’ bedrooms, try to position beds so that the head of the bed is against a wall and the foot of the bed is not across, from a door. In offices, try to arrange furniture so that people do not have their backs exposed to a door or hallway. If this is not possible, attach a small bell to a doorway to alert people when someone enters the room. Clutter There is often a lot of clutter in healthcare settings, both in treatment areas and patients’ rooms. Most often, used syringes, drip bottles and waste including cotton is thrown from the bins into garbage instead of incinerating. This clutter can be distracting and drag down the energy in a room. To make spaces feel more comfortable, make sure that all visible items are genuinely useful and truly loved. Clutter is the biggest enemy to feng shui. |