Funds raised through Giving Day in 2022 have allowed for artistic additions that give some patients at The Prince Hospital something to engage with cognitively.
Have you ever been confined to a hospital bed for an extended time? If so, you may have felt there was not often something to keep your mind occupied.
Some of the sickest patients in The Prince Charles Hospital’s thoracic ward can now look up and let their minds wander into nature, following the installation of Healing Ceilings.
Healing Ceilings are artist-designed medical-grade ceiling tiles. While hospitals are inherently clinical, the idea behind these artistic additions is to add colour, and energise and enhance the space for patients.
“It gives them something to cognitively engage with while they’re in hospital. We specifically chose ceiling panels with links to nature, as there is a lot of evidence that having links to nature can help your recovery and mood,” said Eat Walk Engage Program Facilitator TPCH, Liana De Michele.
The patients in the Thoracic Close Observation Unit are said to be generally quite unwell and often unable to move around freely, with a range of conditions experienced by patients in this unit including Asthma, Interstitial Lung Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
“It’s a high dependency unit for people with respiratory conditions, who just need a bit more of a concentrated level of care and support.” said Liana.
“These Healing Ceilings really brighten people up.”
Healing Ceilings was founded by Moreton Bay businesswoman Claire Rackley. The idea came to her when she was recovering following brain and spinal surgery in 2015.
“One patient across from Claire begged to see the sun, so Claire asked her husband to bring in a colourful A4 picture to stick on the wall beside the patient. The patient’s demeanour dramatically changed, and Claire witnessed already then, the power that colour has on a person’s health,” the Healing Ceilings website says.
Healing Ceilings Funded by 2022 Giving Day
The hospital’s thoracic ward raised money for environmental improvements as part of Giving Day last year. Their team’s final amount was doubled by our incredible matched givers.
“It took some organising, but we had a market, and we were able to sort of drum up a little bit of enthusiasm and excitement for it in our ward,” Liana said.
“Some people bake, so we had a little bake sale, and then we have other really creative people, so some made different things like artwork and Christmas decorations. We also have some really nifty sewers who made scrunchies and all these different little items.”
In 2023, we are holding our annual Giving Day on October 25.
This year, we are raising funds for the Children’s Emergency Department and Paediatric Services at The Prince Charles Hospital.
