Fountain Garden: new healing garden at Hospital del Salvador

This morning, a new garden was inaugurated inside the Hospital del Salvador. This is the garden adjacent to the Critical Patient Unit (UPC) and is the third to be restored as part of the El Salvador Hospital Interior Gardens Recovery Project , led by the Inspira and Cosmos Foundations, with support from the Hospital. The project seeks to transform these spaces into more friendly places that support the recovery process of patients and contribute to the well-being of their families and facility staff.

This morning, a new garden was inaugurated inside the Hospital del Salvador. This garden is adjacent to the Critical Patient Unit (CPU) and is the third to be restored as part of the El Salvador Hospital Interior Gardens Recovery Project, led by the Inspira and Cosmos Foundations, with support from the hospital. The project seeks to transform these spaces into more friendly places that support the recovery process of patients and contribute to the well-being of their families and facility staff.

“This beautiful space for reflection and meeting is very important to the staff, and it is undoubtedly essential for the Hospital to have friendly spaces for patients and staff. We hope to continue this important project to restore our gardens,” said Dr. Carlos Altamirano, Director of Hospital del Salvador.

In the restoration of La Fuente Garden, some of the existing vegetation was used and new plants were incorporated, which together provide a wide variety of colors and aromas to the area. In addition, necessary elements were installed to make better use of and enjoy the space, such as benches, lounge chairs, a water fountain, tables, and chairs.

The Hospital del Salvador has more than 12 interior gardens that were incorporated into its original design and construction in 1871, but were abandoned over time. They are spaces with great potential to become healing or therapeutic gardens and, in this way, serve as a complement to the treatment of their patients and to improve the quality of life of all users. Focused on that goal, the Inspira Foundation, along with the Cosmos Foundation and hospital officials, began a project a few years ago to restore the gardens, prioritizing them based on a comprehensive social and environmental assessment of each one. To date, two of them have been restored—Los Naranjos Garden and the Home Hospitalization Garden—to serve all hospital users.

“We want nature to be the center of attention, reclaiming its power within us. Creating a space to be and enjoy. Relieving daily stress is our greatest interest in cooperating with people’s well-being,” said Verónica Novoa, Director of Innovation and Sustainability at Fundación Inspira.

The next challenge within Hospital del Salvador is the implementation of the new El Ceibo garden, open to patients, family members, and staff. It will serve as an open-air waiting room and feature inclusive infrastructure for universal access.