Nature is Good Medicine: Examples from General Care and Dementia Initiatives

Nature is Good Medicine

The Healing Power for Nurses, Caregivers, and Patients – Examples from General Care and Dementia Initiatives

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a common challenge, particularly for those in caregiving professions such as nurses and caregivers for individuals living with various health conditions, including dementia. The toll of chronic stress can lead to serious health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders like depression and burnout.

Recognizing this, various initiatives have emerged to leverage the healing power of nature as a remedy for stress relief and mental well-being.

One notable example is the collaboration between the AGEL Levoča Hospital, which is linked with hospitals in Kežmarok and Krompachy, Slovakia, and the Forest Pedagogy NGO. This partnership aims to provide forest bath therapy to nurses, allowing them to immerse themselves in a serene natural environment. The calming effects of nature not only help reduce stress but also promote physical and mental health, enabling caregivers to recharge and better support their patients. This initiative is particularly crucial as healthcare workers have faced unprecedented levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By cultivating a stronger connection to nature, this initiative not only enhanced the well-being of healthcare professionals—who participated in interviews after each session to assess the effects—but also promotes a holistic approach to healthcare. In 2025, an analysis of a new short form of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. The POMS is a widely-applied measure for the assessment of an individual’s mood. The results on the impact of forest bathing sessions for the participants was extremely positive.

The curriculum is accredited by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and created by the Slovak Association of Forest Bath.

This Good Practice was shared within the Interreg Europe GREENHEALTH project. Here EUROPARC Federation participates as project partner for Capacity Building and Communication and counts on the expertise of the Healthy Parks Healthy People Europe Commission.

Read more about this Good Practice

Furthermore, our case studies highlight the Nature Park Sparbach, which has implemented the “Miteinander unterwegs” project.

This initiative involves the municipalities in the Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald (Mauerbach, Gablitz, Purkersdorf, Tullnerbach and Wolfsgraben), who joined forces under the “Wir 5 im Wienerwald” network.

We spoke about this initiative at its early stages, during a webinar in July 2023, and things have developed since then. The project invites individuals affected by dementia and their caregivers to explore the beauty of nature together. As part of the “Wir 5 im Wienerwald” network, it fosters collaboration among stakeholders, institutions, and families impacted by dementia. By providing peer-support spaces and training on coping strategies, the project aims to alleviate the emotional burdens faced by caregivers while enhancing the quality of life for those living with dementia.

To the case study

If you need more information on the initiative described in this case study, you can visit the article (in German) by Susanne Käfer, Headmaster of the Nature Park Office Sparbach and which was released in the journal Green Care, published by the Competence Centre for Green Pedagogy at the University College of Agricultural and Environmental Education (HAUP), Vienna, Austria

These examples highlight the profound impact that nature can have on mental well-being, particularly for those under significant stress. By creating opportunities for individuals to connect with the natural world, we can promote healing, resilience, and a greater sense of community.

Do you have stories or wish to engage with Healthy Parks Healthy People Europe? You are welcome to contact us and let us know about you and we will be right back!

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