Gardening is true joy for many seniors. Here are some options on how to to spread the spirit of gardening in your neighborhood.
Plant a "Row for the Hungry" at a Local Community Garden
In this land of great quantity it's hard to picture not having access to good food at a affordable cost. Even so, for millions of Americans, getting a healthy meal is not always easy. It's estimated almost 33 million people, including 13 million children, end up with emergency food because they cannot afford the food they need.
Host a Plant Swap at a Neighborhood Church
The greatest plants aren't always from your community garden center or seed catalog. As a substitute they are gathered through quick cuttings or by gathering seeds from the garden of a friend or family member. These "pass-along plants" supply both grace and affection to your garden.
Have a Spring Cleaning Green Up Day at a Senior's Home
Spring cleaning - indoors and out - is a ritual that marks the end of winter and the start of a new season, and similar to many things to do, it's more fun when you share it. A senior's home, your street, neighborhood, town park, and any other public space could use some greening up; it just takes someone to organize a small group.
Yard Sale Philanthropy
The coming of spring, coupled with longer days and higher temperatures, gives you dreams of green oases teeming with tomatoes and brimming with beans. Spring is also a time for cleaning out. This year, celebrate National Garden Month in an unexpected way-by visiting yard sales in search of second-hand stuff that every senior's garden needs.
Organize a Garden Visit with Senior Friends, Over Tea!
Gardeners grow more than plants - every one of us has stories to share. For a change, why not share them in over tea? Socialization and admiration of another person's garden brings joy to everyone.
Other tips for having fun with seniors in your local community:
-Organize or play a role in a town beautification day.
-Visit your regional farmers' market.
-Flatter a neighbor on his or her garden.
-Gather with neighbors to purchase compost and mulch in bulk quantities.
-Volunteer to plant and sustain a garden at your area library.
-Publish a gardening article or essay to your neighborhood paper.
-Arrange to Talk With an elder to learn what foods his or her family grew when he or she was a child.
-Search for neighbors from numerousethnic groups to learn about their native cuisine and gardening techniques.
-Green up your street or a local park by picking up trash.
-Share a cutting of one of your favorite landscape or houseplants with a senior neighbor.
-Inventory your gardening gear (e.g., pots, seeds, stakes) and gift the excess to a community gardening program, assisted living facility or school garden.
-Volunteer at your local school's garden.
-Volunteer at a local senior center's garden.
-Start a neighborhood garden club.
-Share your garden's bounty with a senior neighbor.
-Have fun doing a gardening project with a senior.
-Deliver houseplants or flowers to a nursing home, assisted living or children's hospital.
-Donate past issues of gardening magazines to your library, or buy the library a gift subscription.
If you have a loved one who could benefit from the help of Senio care services in New Jersey, contact the caregivers at Liberty Healthcare Services. We help seniors and their families with many levels of senior care service. Call 888-877-5282 for more information.
nothing less than a 180-degree turn in the way that Americans think about themselves, one another, the economy and workers. This group aims to create 2 million quality jobs in the process and put us all on track for a happy, healthy old age too. But first we need to talk, out loud, about care.