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Rev. Ann Schmidt took in the comfortable setting of the refurbished chapel at Stamford Hospital. She said it was perfect for patients and family members seeking solace.
"I'm so excited. It just feels so peaceful here," said Schmidt, the hospital's director of pastoral care. "The people who come here obviously are in need of some peace. The administration understands that. We take care of the whole person. Body and spirit can't be separated."
That's why hospital administrators included the chapel in renovation plans for the Orthopedic and Neurosurgery In-Patient Unit. A ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday marked its reopening.
The $1.5 million project also included a new IT closet, noted project manager Cathy Dolan, a hospital employee. "It was kind of the catalyst for doing the other work," she said. Planning began in March of 2009. The actual reconstruction took about three months, during which patients were moved to other areas of the hospital.
Now the chapel is more modern-looking and better lit, with natural light enhancing the space. "Day lighting is so important in an institutional space like this," said Vincent Babak, the project's architect. "We wanted to bring more light into the space and make it more of an enjoyable experience for the patient."
That also holds for the 32-bed Orthopedic and Neurosurgery In-Patient Unit. Bathroom doors were widened to better accommodate post-surgery support equipment such as walkers, flat-screen TVs replaced older models, and the physical therapy room was enlarged. Floors include built-in markers in the design to help doctors gauge therapeutic progress. The floors also are eco-friendly, said Construction Manager Nick Everett.
The hospital looks to continue such renovations. "We're hopefully going to do one of these units every year," said Michael Smeriglio, the hospital's executive director of facilities management and construction.
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