For people arriving at Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) Detoxification Centre, taking the first step toward recovery is often the beginning of a long journey.
Thanks to funding through KHSC’s Patient- and Family-Centred Care (PFCC) Grant Fund Detox is creating a more welcoming environment by working with clients to plant new gardens at the Centre, giving opportunity to contribute to beautifying the space around them.
The idea came from conversations between clients and Aiden Dorosz, Program Manager, Addiction Care.
“I try to meet with clients a few times a week just to talk about the program, what works well, what doesn't work, what they'd like to adjust,” Dorosz says. “Something that kept coming up is the space. They wanted to refresh the space.”
For Dorosz, improving the Centre’s outdoor space was about more than making the building look better. It was about creating an environment that tells clients they are worth caring for.
“When you pull up, you're not necessarily just seeing the building - you're seeing something fresh, something that someone's taking care of,” he says. “It's a little bit less frightening for people coming through the front door.”
The project included new garden beds in the front and backyard, with clients invited to help with the work.
When materials first arrived for the backyard garden, Dorosz expected staff would have to move the bricks themselves. Instead, clients quickly volunteered to help.
“All of a sudden, I've got six, seven, eight people willing to help take these bricks and supplies and put them in the backyard,” he says.
Two clients helped build the garden wall, creating a lasting connection to the space. One later returned to the Centre and was excited to see the wall was still there, telling his friends about the role he had played in building it. Clients have also helped staff water and care for the plants.
For people who come to the Centre at a challenging point in their lives, Dorosz says these small opportunities to contribute can have a meaningful impact.
“For a lot of people, when they come to us, they're at their lowest point and recovery isn’t a linear process” he says. “So, any little piece of sunshine or brightness goes an awfully long way.”
Dorosz says clients have repeatedly thanked him and staff for the opportunity to help out around the centre.
“They want to take pride in what they're doing and have a sense of purpose while they're here,” he says.
The project has given the Detoxification Centre more colour and life, while helping create opportunities for clients to connect and feel a sense of ownership in their surroundings.
Ultimately, Dorosz says the gardens are small things that can make a meaningful difference during a challenging time.
“I cannot say enough about the impact this grant has had.”
