Charity to help with ‘forest bathing’ research

Treetops Hospice is helping with innovative research into the therapeutic benefits of ‘forest bathing’.

The research, the first of its kind in a hospice setting, explores how it can be adapted to support people receiving palliative care.

Weekly hour-long sessions are currently taking place in the hospice’s grounds, led by Rachel Pitzettu, a community support coordinator at the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Each session is carefully tailored to meet the mobility and energy levels of participants, ensuring a safe and inclusive experience that connects them with the natural world.

Rachel said: “For people accessing a hospice setting, accessing forest bathing may be difficult.

“This research is bringing something which is well documented, and evidence based, into a small scale more manageable package.

“The population and demographic we’re working with is very pioneering. No research has previously taken place with forest bathing in a palliative care setting or hospice setting.

“Hopefully the findings can be used to put together a guide for other hospices about how they can use some of the nature connection techniques in therapeutic sessions.”