If you’ve ever driven by a nursing home or an assisted living facility in the spring or summer months, you may notice 
a resident or two sitting outside enjoying the grounds. According to the University of Minnesota, “Roger Ulrich, a professor and director of the Center for Health Systems and Design at Texas A & M University, found that viewing natural scenes or elements fosters stress recovery by evoking positive feelings, reducing negative emotions, effectively holding attention/interest, and blocking or reducing stressful thoughts. When viewing vegetation as opposed to urban scenes, test subjects exhibited lower alpha rates which are associated with being wakefully relaxed.”
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to lend a hand in creating those therapeutic environments for our seniors?
Why not call a local nursing home or assisted living facility – perhaps they’re looking for individuals to water, weed, prune, plant and mulch to help maintain their gardens. Chances are, they’d be willing to work around your schedule if you’re willing to volunteer your time. Or, if you have a loved one in a facility right now, and they do not have a garden, consider spearheading the effort to create one. Given the benefits noted above, why not share your gift of gardening with others.
Not sure where to start? Here’s a helpful link to help you locate a nearby facility — https://www.caring.com/. You may also find some volunteer opportunities on this site — http://createthegood.org/
