Yet it was in 1972, when Dr. Roger S. Ulrich launched a study to determine whether cholecystectomy patients who had a view of nature did better than those who did not, that launched a radical change in how hospitals are designed, as exemplified locally by the new Adirondack Health Center opening in Lake Placid.

Ulrich’s study, since replicated many times with patients living with different health challenges, determined that those with a view of nature would require over 10 percent less medication and shorter post-operative stays than those who did not have a similar view. As a consequence, today more and more hospitals are designed to let in more natural light and maximize views of nature in patient rooms, treatment rooms, and other spaces as exemplified by Adirondack Health’s new facility.

Lake Placid High School senior Hallie Corrow, not aware of the underlying research but very aware of the overarching message, decided to use her and Lake Placid junior Taylor Belden’s talents to uplift the quality of life for the residents of the Memory Unit at Elderwood of Uihlein at Lake Placid, a venue very receptive to their offer.

Memory Unit residents live with varying levels of dementia. Elderwood’s staff is acutely aware that engaging older adults in creative activities can lessen the impact of dementia, enhance their quality of life, and improve the relationship between them and their family members through opening new avenues for expression and connection. This knowledge is based on their experience and research conducted by the late Dr. Gene Cohen, a pioneer in geriatrics.

Cohen, who once visited Lake Placid at the invitation of Mercy Care, asserted in his seminal book, “The Creative Age: Awaking Human Potential in the Second Half of Life,” stated, “There is no denying the problems that accompany aging. But what has been universally denied is the potential. The ultimate expression is creativity.”

Cohen’s research found a direct link between creative expression and healthy aging.

Corrow’s idea was simple. For her senior project, create a nature-based mural at Elderwood as a way of enabling the residents to see and experience images that were familiar to them and reflected the character of the Adirondacks.

“I thought it was a wonderful idea, especially when it’s on a sensory unit,” said Beth McLaughlin, activities director at Elderwood. “I felt having the two young artists working in the unit, coupled with Hallie’s design for the mural, would be wonderful for the residents. I put them under the supervision of their staff artist Diane Brown, from Keene.”

After first getting permission, Corrow’s next task was to seek funding to help cover the paints and other supplies, which she did through pitching the Lake Placid/Wilmington Connecting Youth and Communities Coalition board. CYC provides $150 to $500 mini-grants in support of a wide range of youth-driven community projects.

CYC’s goal is to promote mental, physical and spiritual health of Lake Placid and Wilmington youth by empowering and educating them on how to become leaders and engaged citizens. Their research has demonstrated that the more young people take on tasks that deepen their connection with their community, stretch their abilities, and connect them with positive adult role models, the less likely they engage in socially negative behavior and the more likely they are to make healthier choices.

“What could better than to have a young person share their talent with some of the most important people in the community, our elderly who are very often forgotten about,” said program director Tina Clark. “This is a beautiful way to reach out, make connections and teach an important lesson to both the young and the old, how important we all are together. We have a focus on multi- and inter-generational and want to be able to make sure everyone understands the value of one another. We are all a part of a continuum of life and need to support one another.”

After successfully securing a grant from CYC, Corrow then circled back to McLaughlin and Brown to arrange dates and time to be at Elderwood, a place to store their supplies and then start work.

“They are on their own now,” said Brown. “The girls are doing great. They know what they’re doing, everything is to size, ask me a lot of questions, and then they go and do it. The residents love having them here. They love to watch them paint. Sometimes they stop if they are walking by, other times they pull up a chair. Sometimes they don’t say anything they are so mesmerized. They keep asking when Corrow and Belden will be back. They don’t want them to stop.”

Corrow’s inspiration was her great-grandmother, who had been a resident in the Memory Unit several years ago. After her great-grandmother passed, she decided to do something in her memory. Google searching for senior project ideas, she came across murals and the penny dropped. She contacted her friend, Michelle Annatto, an Elderwood employee, who connected her with McLaughlin.

Corrow was aware from science classes that nature had calming and healing benefits, and she initially thought of flowers and animals on doors, but as that was counter to Elderwood’s codes.

“We thought, OK, why don’t we paint Adirondack animals as most of the residents here are from this area,” said Corrow. “We thought this would remind them of their home, where they are from. While we scoped out the area, a couple of the residents asked us why we were there. We suggested that we’d paint some animals, and they got very excited. We thought, that’s a good idea, we should do that.”

“It’s fun to work on the patient wards because it gives them a sense of environment and something to look at,” said Belden. “They are nice and always complimenting us. Their support matters because it’s easier to paint in a place where you can have fun than where you are worried all the time. The staff is encouraging. I’m now thinking about continuing my senior project here.”

The real test is how the residents like the work. Expressing the thoughts of several I met, Carol Gladd said, “The work is beautiful. It’s not finished yet, but I love it. I want them to continue. They do such a nice job.”