The ground breaking for the new home for Spodak Dental Group took place on Friday, November 9. The building design by Michael Singer Studios and Richard A Jones Architects will be a LEED certified project. Most great projects are the result of a great client; Dr. Spodak has taken great pains to make sure that …
Studies indicate that older adults highly value contact with plants and natural environments 1 and interest in nature may increase with age 2. Research findings of residents at nursing facilities showed that desire to participate far exceeded actual participation in horticulture activities, suggesting that appropriate environments or programming may not have been available 3.
To be motivating and interesting and to encourage optimal performance, therapy is most effective if it is designed to meet each patient’s needs 4. Predictable environments where preferred activities can take place provide feedback necessary to correct motor behaviors and enables patients to engage in graded challenges to improve skills 5.
Studio Sprout has been honored with an award of excellence by the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association for the design of the Jacqueline Fiske Garden of Hope at the Jupiter Medical Center. The garden was the site of a pilot study done by co-investigators Dr. Ruth McCaffrey of Florida Atlantic University, School of Nursing, Lorraine …
Among the elderly, depression is a major health problem. The rate of depression among healthy older adults in the United States is about 15%, with the number rising to 25% for those with chronic illnesses 1. The rates of depression for residents in elder care facilities is even higher, rising to 44% when factoring in all levels of symptoms 2. Depression negatively impacts quality of life, exacerbates existing diseases and cognitive disorders, increases health costs, and in the case of major depression, increases rates of mortality 1.
Research suggests that simply visiting a garden and observing nature enhances the emotional well-being of residents with depression who are living in nursing homes 3. Another study showed that a regular program of walking in a garden setting alleviates symptoms of depression.
The risk for falls is 30-40 % higher among older people with muscle weakness, gait, and balance issues 1. The most effective intervention to reduce the risk of falls is exercise. Research shows a 12-20% reduction in rate of falls over an extended period of time among the elderly who exercise at regular intervals 2, 3.
During a debate about offshore drilling right after the oil spill began, the proponent for offshore drilling made a good point: better that we drill here where we have regulations. The problem isn’t drilling per se; it is the American people’s demand for oil. If we don’t drill here, the demand will be met by …
Maybe it IS worth having a pet spider to get rid of those unwanted insects! In the year 2000, poison centers in the US responded to 86,880 poisoning incidents related to pesticides and half of those incidents involved children under six years old. Pesticides and chemicals used on a lawn can be absorbed by your …
The University of Florida publication on Community ButterflyScaping is now published! This new and unique concept helps to envision large scale butterfly habitats. The techniques can be used by developers, community associations and large commercial campuses. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP42000.pdf Contact us at www.studio-sprout.com for color pictures of butterfly plants for South Florida.