CGH pioneers nature-based therapy as integrated inpatient care in Singapore’s first acute hospital programme

MEDIA RELEASE

CGH pioneers nature-based therapy as integrated inpatient care in Singapore’s first acute hospital programme

A clinical pilot with Temasek Foundation, NParks and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine will study how structured engagement with nature, embedded within the care plan, supports the physical and emotional well-being of inpatients and their caregivers.

A patient and a caregiver participating in the Nature-Based Therapy programme, guided by Ms Chang Shi Hui, CGH Senior Staff Nurse and Nature-Based Therapy programme facilitator.

Singapore, 5 October 2026 – Changi General Hospital (CGH) has introduced Singapore’s first Nature-Based Therapy programme to be integrated into inpatient care within an acute hospital setting. Catalysed by Temasek Foundation and developed in partnership with the National Parks Board (NParks) and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine (BD-MED), the programme draws on the partners’ expertise in nature-based therapy. This includes NParks’ support in recommending suitable plants for the gardens based on their therapeutic properties and climate suitability, as well as facilitator training and providing resources on garden design. The clinical pilot embeds structured, facilitated engagement with nature into the care journey of selected geriatric medicine and rehabilitation inpatients – and uniquely, their caregivers – within specially curated garden spaces in the wards.

“This programme represents a meaningful step in how we think about holistic patient care. By bringing the therapeutic qualities of nature into the care plan in a structured way, we are creating a healing environment that supports the physical and mental well-being of our patients and their caregivers,” said Clinical Professor Ng Kee Chong, Chief Executive Officer, Changi General Hospital.

A hospital stay can be a stressful experience for patients and their families, and older patients are especially vulnerable to anxiety, low mood and confusion during admission. Supporting mental well-being alongside medical treatment can aid recovery – for patients, and for those who care for them.

Patients are referred and screened by their care teams before participating in guided Nature-Based Therapy sessions, with activities adapted according to their individual needs, physical condition and cognitive abilities.

“As Singapore continues to grow as a City in Nature, we increasingly recognise the positive impact that nature can have on our health and well-being. However, evidence is lacking on whether integrating nature into care in a deliberate and structured way can help ease the physical and emotional demands of a hospital stay on patients and their caregivers. Through this pilot with Changi General Hospital and its partners, Temasek Foundation aims to build that evidence: to embed nature-based therapy in inpatient care, evaluate it rigorously, and build a playbook that many more healthcare institutions can use to make nature a structured part of care, for patients and caregivers alike,” said Ms Usha Viswanathen, Head, Health and Well-being (Covering), Temasek Foundation.

Nature as part of the care plan

What makes this programme distinctive is its clinical intentionality. Nature-Based Therapy is incorporated into the care plan for suitable patients, with sessions led by trained facilitators and healthcare professionals within the broader multidisciplinary team.

During the sessions, patients are guided to engage with nature through their senses – observing their surroundings, touching and smelling plants, and exploring different sights, scents and textures. Each patient is provided with a booklet and photo reflection cards to record and reflect on their experiences throughout the programme.

“A lot of thought went into how we designed these sessions – from the plants we selected to the way activities are adapted for each patient. We wanted every element to feel purposeful, so that when a patient touches a leaf or catches a familiar scent, it becomes a moment that genuinely contributes to their care and recovery,” said Ms Joyce Ng, Head, Department of Therapeutic Resilience and Complementary Services, Changi General Hospital.

Caregivers are also a deliberate and integral part of the programme. They may participate alongside the patients they care for or take part independently to support their own health and well-being through nature-based interactions –– an important provision that acknowledges the emotional demands of caregiving and extends the programme’s reach beyond the patient alone.

“I felt happy and found the Nature-Based Therapy sessions meaningful. The activities helped us relax, both physically and mentally,” said a caregiver with the nature-based therapy programme at CGH.

Sensory gardens within the care environment

Central to the programme are the Sensory Gardens, landscaped spaces located in two geriatric medicine and rehabilitation wards in the CGH Integrated Building. These gardens have been deliberately designed for structured therapy activities, positioned close to where inpatients receive care.

A Sensory Garden has also been created at Level 4 of CGH Medical Centre as an open space for patients and visitors to the specialist clinics.

The gardens feature a carefully selected range of plants – among them pandan, mint, curry leaves, Indian borage, ylang ylang, white ginger lily, laksa leaves, lemongrass, cranberry hibiscus, and holy basil. Their varied colours, forms, scents and textures stimulate the senses, engaging patients through sight, smell, touch, and where appropriate, taste.

“For patients with cognitive impairment, familiar plants and herbs can prompt reminiscence, bringing back memories of meals they once prepared or shared with family. The therapy also encourages patients to interact with one another, and we have observed how these social interactions can lift their mood, reflected in their smiles and expressions, and provide moments of comfort during their hospital stay,” said Adj A/Prof Lim Si Ching, Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine and Principal Investigator.

Each garden features flowing water and natural soundscapes to engage patients' senses. The care team has observed that sessions in these spaces can lift patients’ mood and provide moments of calm during their hospital stay.

“It was good to be out in nature, feeling the breeze and sunlight, touching the plants and hearing the sounds around me. During the Nature-Based Therapy sessions, I felt refreshed, and afterwards, less suffocated and more energised. I also enjoyed learning about the different plants and flowers, their scents and their names. It was very different from staying in bed with no activities to do. I hope Nature-Based Therapy can be offered to more patients who are mobile enough to participate,” said Mr Lee Kee Chin, a patient with the nature-based therapy programme at CGH.

Building evidence to shape future care

Beyond its direct benefit to participants, the pilot is designed to generate rigorous local evidence on how a structured nature-based approach can be incorporated into inpatient care. This supports NParks’ Parks for Health Framework, through which NParks works with partners such as CGH to study the health and well-being benefits of interacting with nature, and purposefully design and activate green spaces, including those within healthcare institutions to enhance their therapeutic and rehabilitative benefits.

Insights from the pilot will contribute to the development of a green social prescription playbook for sharing among healthcare institutions, with the aim of enabling more hospitals in Singapore to make structured nature-based care part of how patients and caregivers are supported. The programme will progressively involve more eligible patients and caregivers as CGH continues to refine how nature-based care can complement the hospital care experience.

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Ms Chang Shi Hui, CGH Senior Staff Nurse and Nature-Based Therapy programme facilitator, guidesa patient and a caregiver as part of the Nature-Based Therapy programme.

The sensory gardens at CGH provide a therapeutic space within the hospital setting for patients and caregivers to connect with nature, engage their senses and support their physical and mental well-being.

A patient and a caregiver engage their senses with the surrounding greenery as part of the Nature-Based Therapy programme, guided by Ms Chang Shi Hui, CGH Senior Staff Nurse and Nature-Based Therapy programme facilitator.

Ms Chang Shi Hui, CGH Senior Staff Nurse and Nature-Based Therapy programme facilitator, goes through the workbook with the patient and her caregiver as part of the structured Nature-Based Therapy programme.

Ms Chang Shi Hui, CGH Senior Staff Nurse and Nature-Based Therapy programme facilitator, guiding a patient and a caregiver through a nature observation activity at the ward.

The CGH Nature-Based Therapy programme is a clinical pilot in collaboration with Temasek Foundation, NParks and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine.