Springing Into Action: Garden Therapy at the Community Living Center
Spring time flowers aren’t the only ones popping up this Spring. Veterans from the Community Living Center are waking up from a long Winter to get out and garden.
To many people, gardening is a soothing practice. To the Veterans in our Community Living Center (CLC), it can provide a much-needed therapeutic experience.
With good timing, our COVID restrictions have lifted in the Community Living Center with the new Spring time flourish. It has been approximately three years since we have been able to provide you with an update about the Veterans in our Community Living Center due to restrictions.
What is the CLC and who do we serve there?
Community Living Center (CLC) is a facility for veterans who need skilled care following a hospitalization. Veterans can come to the CLC for rehabilitation (Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, or speech), skilled care or hospice care.
How Gardening is Helping them with recovery?
Occupational Therapy Assistant, Maura Williams says that “We are able to use gardening as a part of our treatment sessions to address deficits that Veterans may have, all while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine outside. Many veterans enjoy the opportunity to garden as they may have not been able to as they have aged and often reminisce on their younger years, and pass along their horticultural knowledge.”
The ability to use the CLC courtyard to plant flowers allows the Veterans to participate in a meaningful activity during their stay here at the VA.
Every Spring, the Veterans in the CLC have the opportunity to plant flowers in the courtyard.
This year, we even have a 100 years young Veteran helping ‘supervise’ the planting. He says that “the key to longevity is to stay active.”