Bird feeders, flower boxes bring joy to palliative care patients

The manager of the provincial Palliative Care Centre in Charlottetown says patients are benefiting from having bird feeders and flower boxes placed outside the window of their rooms.

Bird feeders are also set up outside other parts of the centre as well.

Peter Howatt said some local businesses help out by providing birdseed. He said there's no question it's having an impact.

"As simple as it sounds, it gives the patients, if they're in the bed or if they'rein their chair in their room, it gives them something to just look out at and see," he said.

"It's not a tree, it's a dynamic activity. So there are squirrels running up eating the seed and the bird feed, there's birds, there's the occasional raccoon, there's foxes."

Howatt said staff and family members of patients help to fill and maintain the feeders.

He said it's a low cost activity to the centre that provides hours of enjoyment for patients and fosters conversation.

"People are talking. Did you see the fox? Did you see the squirrels? Did you see the squirrels fighting over birdseed?" he said.

"It's a conversation about anything but what they're dealing with."

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