5 minute read
Better playtimes are ahead
‘Play stations’ bring comfort and joy
The past year has witnessed positive changes in play spaces – both inside in Greenville and outside in Columbia.
A sea change at Patewood campus
As we closed the doors to playrooms during the pandemic, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital in the Upstate used this time to undertake renewal projects, ultimately bringing comfort and joy to pediatric patients and their families.
In September 2020, we unveiled a new pediatric waiting room at Prisma Health’s Patewood Outpatient Surgery Center in Greenville. The waiting area is reserved for children scheduled for outpatient surgery. There was an identified need here to update the furniture and overall room décor to increase comfort levels and overall patient experience.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought a sea change to play areas, such as this one on Patewood campus, with renovations being undertaken while playrooms were closed for health and safety reasons.
Upon arrival, patients have already gone without food or drink for up to 12 hours. An empty tummy can certainly add to the stress associated with having an operation. That’s why a vibrant, engaging playroom is vital in keeping children distracted and happy while awaiting surgery. This renovation was made possible through monies raised during the 2019 Radiothon and through the fundraising efforts of Boosterthon.
Getting comfortable on Greenville Memorial campus
Following the renovations on Patewood campus, Children’s Hospital at Prisma Health’s Greenville Memorial Hospital began construction on a $70,000 playroom renovation, thanks to a generous gift from multiple donors. Bright geometric circles now hang from the ceiling where faded sea creatures once floated. Floors mimic the hardwood that patients might have at home. Accent walls are painted blue (not pictured), which research suggests creates a soothing environment. New furniture holds weary caregivers as they watch a smile return to their child’s face during a game of air hockey.
This room serves as the main play area for children 0–18 years old admitted to Children’s Hospital. It is in this space that we invite kids to visit for a bit of normalcy. And it is here where children can engage in craft activity each day, hosted by child life specialists, without fear of medical procedures.
An engaging, comfortable setting awaits those on the sixth floor of Children’s Hospital.
All renovations were specifically designed and built with families in mind to help ease the burden of prolonged hospital stays and clinic visits.
‘Comforting’ win results in new playground for Columbia
Close your eyes. Envision standing outside on a warm, sunny day. You hear the laughter of youngsters at play. You open your eyes and spy a playground of children – some in wheelchairs, some with IV poles, all with joyful faces. You are outside of Prisma Health Children’s Hospital in the Midlands.
In 2015, White Cloud (a tissue products company) held a “Real Comfort, Real Kids” video contest in collaboration with Walmart, a Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals partner. The Children’s Hospital team worked with Prisma Health Midlands Foundation to create a video that answered the contest question, “How would you bring comfort to kids at your hospital?” Our team had been dreaming of an outdoor play space for years, so our answer was simple: With a playground!
Grace Lady, USCDM 2020–21 president, with Christy Fink, Manager of Child Life and Special Programs for Children’s Hospital in the Midlands.
Our Children’s Hospital team members rallied behind our dream, and we submitted a stirring video. Thrilled to win the $30,000 grand prize, we quickly realized we would need much more funding to create this safe outdoor space. As they have so many times before, members of our community and the University of South Carolina Dance Marathon stepped up to help make our dreams a reality.
Today, the USC Dance Marathon playground at our Children’s Hospital is a gated, inclusive, outdoor play space for those of all ages. From the poured-in play surface that is not only shock absorbing but also smooth so that wheelchairs and IV poles can easily navigate the terrain, to the shady seating for caregivers, our playground has enabled us to expand our therapeutic psychosocial care for patients and families.
Our playground houses two large play structures: one for patients ages 2–5 and the other geared for patients age 6 and above. Each structure addresses developmentally appropriate skills through play and engages patients’ vestibular, proprioception, tactile, auditory and visual senses. To make our playground accessible for all, we added touches such as height-transfer landing pads on each play structure, wide ramps and our OmniSpin Spinner that can accommodate patients who are wheelchair dependent. The highlight is our roller slide, which provides a tactile and auditory experience with no static electricity, so patients with cochlear implants can slide without fear of having their hearing device affected. Rounding out our playground experience are expansive awnings that provide shade to keep our play space accessible yearround.
Creating spaces for hospitalized children to play gives them an outlet to process their emotions and master their experiences. It also leads to better coping and outcomes in their healthcare journeys. Our USC Dance Marathon Playground is that special place, thanks to the University of South Carolina Dance Marathon, White Cloud, CMN Hospitals partners and our community.
The playground is scheduled to officially open this fall.
Congratulations to USC Dance Marathon (USCDM) for raising more than $619,000 this year for Children’s Hospital in the Midlands – and more than $7 million since the partnership started in 1999. A program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, USCDM fully funds the Child Life Program and, more recently, the USC Dance Marathon Playground.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, pictured with USCDM 2020–21 president Grace Lady, recognized USCDM with a proclamation declaring March 23, 2021, as South Carolina Dance Marathon Day.
