Stony Brook University Medical Center Opens Playground For Child Psychiatry Patients

Medical Center / Health Care
Stony Brook University Medical Center Opens Playground For Child Psychiatry Patients

Patient faces have been blurred for privacy purposes.

STONY BROOK, NY, September 2, 2008 – The young patients in Stony Brook University Medical Center’s Child Psychiatry Unit can now enjoy an outdoor playtime experience on a newly installed, state-of the art playground. Installed in a secure spot outside of the Health Science Center, the new playground is protected from sun and rain, and includes two slides, a climbing wall and an over-sized tick-tack-toe board. The new playground provides the children with a much-needed physical activity and a safe and healthy way to release extra energy.

The need for a new playground was brought to the attention of Stony Brook University Medical Center COO Bruce Solomon during routine rounding of the Child Psychiatry unit last spring. “One of our nurses, Maureen Hanak mentioned the need of a play area for the children,” says Child Psychiatry and CPEP Nurse Manager, Evelyn A. Petralia. “Once the need was recognized by Mr. Solomon, we saw instant approval and progress. Thanks to Rick Monroe and Willy Gomez in the Hospital’s Project Management Office and Construction Managers Chuck Eiserman and Pat Paez, it was installed in time for summer enjoyment.”

“Stony Brook Medical Center hopes to bring the best possible care and outcomes to all of its patients, so the addition of the new playground was an easy decision,” said Solomon.

Children in long term care benefit from outdoor physical activities, a form of therapeutic recreation. According to the American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s current research, patients participating in recreational activities show an improvement in overall physical, psychosocial and cognitive health.

“Our patients average 35 days on the unit and when they’re not at school, they really have no chance for physical activity,” adds Petralia. “Not only does the playground give the children a physical outlet, but as they play together it improves their social and emotional skills.”

Caption: Patient faces have been blurred for privacy purposes.

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