Canadian Medical Professionals Offer Yearly Access to National Park Passes as Prescriptions
Canada's healthcare system is taking a leaf out of the great outdoors, with an innovative approach to patient wellness. On January 31, Parks Canada joined the PaRx initiative, aiming to prescribe annual national park passes to patients. Let's dive into the self-prescription of nature!
Nature as Therapy? Absolutely!
Global Parks Prescription initiatives, spearheaded by PaRx, are all about leveraging the healing power of nature to stimulate health development. Although the concept originated in the U.S., it has gained traction worldwide, and PaRx intends to build upon the scant evidence that supports this promising method of holistic wellness.
Dr. Melissa Lem, a family physician and PaRx director, told Global News Canada, "By adhering to the latest research, we recommend patients spend at least 2 hours per week in nature, with a minimum of 20 minutes each time." This therapeutic dose of nature can yield numerous physiological and psychological benefits:
- Reduced Stress: Soak up the serenity of nature to combat stress and improve your overall mood.
- Enhanced Mental Health: Experience a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression by spending time in natural environments.
- Boosted Immune System: Fortify your immune system and speed up recovery times with regular nature therapy.
- Increased Happiness: Feel happier and more content as you connect with the great outdoors.
- Calmed Thoughts: Calm racing thoughts and find tranquility in the embrace of nature.
- Stronger Social Connections: Form bonds with fellow nature enthusiasts by participating in group activities like hiking or park visits.
- Improved Self-Esteem: Develop a stronger sense of self by immersing yourself in the healing power of nature.
PaRx aims to make connecting with nature a breeze by collaborating with healthcare professionals who are passionate about improving their patients' health and well-being through nature-based prescriptions. Registered healthcare providers will receive detailed instructions for prescribing and logging nature prescriptions for their patients.
Is Your Park Prescription Ready?
PaRx offers the Parks Canada Discovery Pass for $57 ($72 CAD) per adult. The initiative encourages healthcare professionals to prioritize patients who live near national parks and those who might struggle with the cost of park access. In the United States, approximately 71 nature health programs operate across 32 states, with the stateside hub, Park RX America, providing a handy tool to discover the prescribed park nearest you.
As more Parks Prescription programs sprout up across the globe, you'll have no shortage of opportunities to embark on your next nature health escapade. Even if you don't have an annual pass, there's likely plenty of cost-free nature within reach, just outside your front door.
While you're planning your nature escapade, dive into our Greatist Guide to the Great Outdoors for a wealth of ideas on how to harness nature's healing power. Happy exploring!
- The holistic approach to patient wellness, PaRx, is partnering with healthcare systems to offer annual national park passes as prescriptions, starting with Parks Canada.
- The PaRx initiative emphasizes the potential benefits of nature therapy, such as reduced stress, enhanced mental health, boosted immune system, increased happiness, calmed thoughts, stronger social connections, and improved self-esteem.
- Pharmahouses can discover the benefits of prescribing nature, particularly for patients living near national parks or those who may struggle with the cost of park access.
- By adhering to the latest research and spending 2 hours per week in nature, patients can discover the healing power of the outdoors, a form of therapy that global parks prescription initiatives are dedicated to promoting.
