A unique horticultural therapy program at the Princess Alexandra (PA) Hospital in Brisbane is integrating native bee hives into therapy and rehabilitation for their patients.

Radiographer, Horticultural Therapist, and Volunteer hospital community garden coordinator Renae McBrien, has worked over many years at the hospital to infuse the sterile field of the modern health service with a reflection of the natural world, through the introduction of native bees. 

"Native Bees are a metaphor for many of the patient issues and experiences in hospital life and I believe they provide a powerful connection to the outside world, especially for those who reside in health or aged care facilities," Renae said.

"When I created our Community Garden at the PA Hospital in 2017, I was determined to include a native bee hive, to share my passion and knowledge about these amazing little insects."

Renae's passion for native bees also stems from the deep connection they have with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and she was keen to showcase a unique native bee hive reminiscent of its natural habitat.

"I wanted to use this indigenous hive to educate our hospital community and the patients on lengthy rehabilitation programs about the significance of native bees, the links to our indigenous community, and how our ancestors lived alongside native bees for thousands of years using their honey for bush tucker and natural medicine."

One of the interesting things Renae learned on her journey to introduce bees into the healthcare setting is that there is a thriving native bee community in the social media space. This led to remarkable bee hive rescuer George Horvath, from Maryborough in Queensland donating a very special log hive to our hospital in Brisbane. 

"George is a remarkable man, who offers to rescue native bees in his local area to ensure their survival in our environment," said Renae. "He had just rescued a Tetragonula carbonara hive from a tree clearing site in Maryborough, and had simply sealed both ends of the log and kept the hive in its natural state.

"This random act of kindness from a man who has never used our hospital services or even been to the PA Hospital, has been an extraordinary gift to our hospital community. This special hive resides in our PA Community Garden for all of our patients, staff and visitors to enjoy. We grow bee friendly plants in our garden that our native bees love to visit, like rocket, bok choi, basil, lavender and blue salvia, so that visitors can not only watch our working hive but they can also enjoy our native bees forage in our community garden."

As a part of PA Hospital's unique horticultural therapy program for patients, another special bee hive has been introduced to the Spinal Injuries Unit, a 30 bed facility for patients who have suffered a catastrophic and devastating injury to their spinal cord.

"Patients stay in the spinal unit for anywhere between two to 14 months, as they learn to rehabilitate mentally and physically back into life with at times, permanent complete or incomplete paralysis. Spinal patients often suffer an acute phase of care where they are bed bound for 24 hours a day, with no connection or stimulation to the outside world as they recover within a hospital".

This new bee hive for the spinal unit was donated by another passionate meliponist (stingless beekeeper) Sarah Hamilton from BEE YOURSELF. The therapy hive of Tetragonula carbonaria now has pride of place on the balcony of the Spinal Injuries Unit, for all of patients and their regular visitors to enjoy.

"Our dedicated nursing and recreational team bring patients either in their wheelchairs or if they are confined to bed to be beside the hive each day," said Renae. "Patients can safely watch and investigate the incredible world of bees - the pollen and shiny resin coming in each day, the caps of brood coming out symbolising new life and the seasonal discharge of drones!"

This interaction with the native bee hive has had powerful effects on the wellbeing, goal orientation, quality of life and positive mental health outcomes for patients with spinal injuries and is now an integral part of their socialisation, rehabilitation and wellness activities. Integrating bee observations into a patient's daily therapy adjunct to traditional treatment affects cardio-vascular and sensory retraining, enhances cognitive and physical development and develops positive psychology outcomes. 

"This humble native bee hive has had a huge impact on our patient community through stress reduction and a documented improvement in patient quality of life and purpose," Renae said. "Many patients have been so captivated by our little bees, that they have sourced bees for their homes as a new hobby. I have also donated my own personal hives to patients on their discharge so they can continue their daily routine and connection with native bees."

Renae and Sarah Hamilton host native bee workshops with patients and families to learn more about bees, taste honey and the patients have enjoyed a live split of a hive as part of these workshops. 

"The patients know that our bees don't leave the hive until our temperatures reach 18 degrees so many patients will flock to the hive each morning to wait until the bees start flying. They get to use our hive as their very own natural thermometer," said Renae. 

"Patients will often count the bees coming in and out of our hive over time, which fluctuates daily due to weather and temperature. This keeps our patients engaged with the natural world while remaining in our hospital."

Renae has also held native bee hotel workshops in the spinal unit, where patients get to construct their very own native bee hotel. Putting much of the work into this herself, Renae constructs the timber house off-site and supplies a pre-cut stick collection as a suitable habitat for the solitary native bees.

"As a part of their physical therapy, the patients can then construct and layer the sticks to fill each hotel. This delivers therapy for hand eye coordination, fine and gross motor skill activation and pattern memory - all while creating a home for our native solitary bees", she said.

"When our patients have finished creating their bee hotels, we donate each hotel back to other community gardens across Brisbane which provides purpose for their therapy all while educating our community about the importance of native bees and providing an urban habitat."

A patient of the Spinal Injuries Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital has rightly declared that the way to change the environment is when everyone makes one small step. "Our native bee hive is better than the BOM (Bureau of Meteorology). If the bees are busy it is going to be a nice day and if the bees are quiet, I keep an eye out for the weather.

"The Spinal Injuries Unit is all about rebuilding shattered lives and our bees make a difference. The more native bees we have in our environment, the world truly is a better place."

Metro South Health and Hospital Service on Brisbane's Southside now has a total of five therapy native bee hives and six hand-made bee hotels constructed by our patients.

You can contact Renae McBrien by emailing her at Renae.McBrien@health.qld.gov.au and Sarah Hamilton by going to her website: www.beeyourself.com.au 

Article by RENAE MCBRIEN