Pathways To Nature

Are you longing to spend more time outdoors but you are lacking confidence?

Are you looking for a greener way of keeping mobile?

Would you like to improve your overall health by connecting with Nature?

There is an abundance of research that shows that spending time outdoors connecting with Nature is beneficial to us.

Spending time in Nature

Decreases feelings of anger and frustration, depression, anxiety and stress.
Do you recall feeling calmer after going for a walk along the beach? There is something soothing about fresh air, isn’t it?
Improves our ability to perform tasks, our cognitive ability and memory. It also reduces our cognitive fatigue and restores our cognitive attention.
Ever felt more energetic after a visiting a park? And it’s much healthier than caffeine and chocolates.
Improves our immune system function and our ability to heal. Research has found that putting your bare feet on the ground decreases inflammation in your body.

Spending time outdoors improves our sleep time too. So, if you are finding it hard to sleep at night, going to a park could be a solution to your restless nights.

Increases our inspiration, our well-being and social interactions. Doesn’t it surprise you that when groups of people are in nature, they are frequently happy and getting along? Did you know that the incidence of violence decreases when people are exposed to greener spaces? Nature makes us happy and more creative.
Improves our mood, self-esteem and life satisfaction. Furthermore, we feel more relaxed, calm and with additional vitality. Yes! All of these benefits regardless of your physical ability or financial situation. And we are lucky in Adelaide to have an abundance of accessible free green spaces for us to explore.
Reduces our blood pressure, stress hormones and glucose levels. Cool as a cucumber. In nature our heart and breathing slows down. Living with diabetes? Well, check those glucose readings after a session in nature and be surprised.
Man in wheelchair pruning flowers in a pot.
So, why not combine the benefits of physiotherapy with the benefits of Nature?

Physios are experts in movement and out in Nature we are constantly moving. Even holding a posture is exercise!

What does Pathways to Nature offer?

Exploring your local park, reserve, beach or other green space.
Gardening in your own garden.
Growing vegetables at home.
Looking after indoor plants.
Training of family or support workers to support you spending more time in nature.
Nature prescription. No pill, just chill…….

How does Pathways to Nature work?

Setting up your goals. We will have a chat with you and your family/support workers. We will agree on your nature and physiotherapy goals. By the end, you will have your own Nature prescription that could look like: Mon- Wed- Fri spend 10 min in your garden admiring nature.
Functional assessment by our physiotherapist. Your physio will see how you move and decide on what is the best way to work towards achieving your nature and physiotherapy goals combined.
Getting personal equipment if needed. This could range from a new mobility aid, a brace or adaptive aids.
Organise session:  Depending on your needs, the sessions will be done with the assistance of a family member/support worker or just by yourself. Transport is included in your session if you are able to travel in and transfer into a car.
Session in Nature: your physio will ensure you have a pleasurable time in Nature while working towards your goals. The best thing is that it won’t feel like physio at all !