The Humanisation of Care
Art and culture are factors of well-being
Friday 21 June, 19.00
The concept of humanisation of care (from the Latin cura = concern, solicitude for someone) is inherent in the term itself. Today, this term refers to those forgotten factors that, especially in hospital environments, are essential to wellbeing: architecture, art, furnishings, colours, greenery, even equipment, which must be designed and organised in a holistic way since the entire environment surrounding the patient must participate in the ‘therapeutic project’. In this sense, the factor historically present in spaces designed for providing care has always been art; however, since medicine merged with technology, while recognising its value in the healing process, art has been absent in hospitals, where aseptic and functional environments are favoured, to the detriment of beauty. Even nature is better if kept outside, despite the fact that the mere sight of it helps to accelerate the healing process (as demonstrated by Roger Ulrich in 1984). A valid alternative is the integration of virtual nature as this does not conflict with the levels of hygiene required for the management of infections – a possible danger when a work of art or a plant is brought into a hospital. It stimulates sight (but not the other senses) and, if associated with pet therapy, satisfies the patient’s need for greenery and warmth.
SPEAKERS
Monica Botta is an architect. Over the years she has focused her profession on social, communicative and experimental themes, in particular, she has specialised in projects in which nature is a means to achieve well-being. Member of CNETO – National Centre for Hospital Construction and Technology, in addition to her profession, she teaches at the Master in “Planning, programming and design of hospital and social-health systems” of the Polytechnic of Milan, on topics related to Healing Gardens. Her books include Healing garden. A therapeutic garden for the elderly, disabled and children (2012) and Dear garden, take care of me. Delicate stories of life and well-being in nature (LDN, 2018).
Tye Farrow has received international recognition for designing places that improve our ability to thrive culturally, economically, mentally and physically. He has also initiated the global movement “Cause Health” aimed at raising expectations for design as a basis for total health, which extends beyond environmental sustainability and physical health, connecting neuroscience and architecture. His projects in North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East demonstrate leadership in this visionary pursuit. The World Congress on Design and Health, based in Stockholm, has identified him as a global leader who is making “a significant contribution to health and humanity through the medium of architecture and design”.
Massimiliano Colucci, MD, is currently Acting Director of the UOC Direzione Medica 1 of the “San Bortolo” Hospital in Vicenza, and Head of the UOS Direzione Medica of the Noventa Vicentina Hospital. He is a member of the Ethics Committee for Clinical Practice of the Azienda Ulss 8 Berica. He is a professor on contract at the University of Padua and has published writings mainly on telemedicine and bioethics. He trained in topics such as public health and organisation, ethics and deontology, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Theological Faculty of Triveneto.
Mario Po’ is the director of the Cultural and Museum Centre of the Scuola Grande di San Marco, Venice. Director of the economic-financial department and contracted staff at the Ulss of Treviso, then administrative director at the Ulss of Castelfranco Veneto-Montebelluna, administrative director of the Hospitals of Venice and Mestre and, finally, director of the technical department of the Ulss of Venice, he is an expert in IT applied to healthcare and hospital logistics. Member of Global Forum, Paris and consultant of Forum PA, Rome, he is a consultant for health organisations in Israel and a partner of the Latin Rite Catholic Church of Ukraine, Kyiv.
Giovanni Capitanio, a Venetian doctor, Director of the U.O.S. of Pathological Anatomy at the Civil Hospital of Venice, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima is a professor on contract at the Venice branch of the University of Padua. An expert at the Museum of the History of Medicine at the Scuola Grande di San Marco in Venice, he is the author of the book Curare la città. Dalla pratica anatomica alle invenzioni assistenza. Otto secoli di vita dell’Ospedale Civile di Venezia.
