by Mary Rowan, a co-founder of Garden Partners
There we were, in a "therapeutic" conundrum. An elderly woman in a long term care facility — nearly blind, with severe arthritis and a recent joint replacement — simply would not get out of bed. She was irritable, depressed and vehemently refusing help from all caregivers.
Then
it occurred to me: Sarah used to enjoy caring for flowers in her garden.
We had a sickly miniature rose bush in the therapy room. I asked Sarah
if she could come down and see if she could bring our rose
back to life. She agreed.
Sarah came daily in her wheelchair to check on the rose and care for it. She used a bright light and magnifying glass to check its progress. It did indeed come back to life, and gradually so did Sarah. She was pleased, and subsequently most things about her life during her stay became a little easier and more enjoyable for her.
It was a striking example for me and hit me powerfully: what opportunities did these folks have to nurture other living things? Alarmingly few, as I saw it. How could they not feel that their lives were unnecessary, that they were not needed, simply a burden to others. So much effort has been spent developing good models for providing quality care — how could we have missed such a basic human need?
Existing programs offered for the elderly and physically/mentally challenged are often in the form of therapy and planned activity programs — things being done "to" them and "for" them. The basic potential of human beings to participate in the care and nurturing of other living things is often overlooked.
The use of horticulture as therapy has been developing rapidly over the past 30 years. But I was realizing that this medium could offer much more than therapeutic options. It could bring back life in many ways.
Over the next four years I created several small accessible gardens and indoor garden-related programs at regional residential facilities. In each instance the response from the residents was convincing and compelling. Lives were changed. Motivation returned, enthusiasm, creativity, collaboration, and anticipation surfaced. Like few other things are, gardening — nurturing living, growing things — was such a positive and reinforcing experience.
The vision began to take form when I met Nancy Doty. We were introduced through the executive director of the Hollywood Senior Center [in Northeast Portland]. It was a match! Our visions merged and we began creating Garden Partners. We were soon joined by Jane Luthy who brought a wonderful enthusiasm and design sense.
Our vision is a new model that works in conjunction with existing medical and therapeutic models. This new model views persons who are elderly or physically, mentally, or emotionally challenged (which most of us will be at some point), as already equal to others in society. It assumes that they do not necessarily need to be "helped" or "therapized" (many elderly I’ve worked with cringe at the word therapy), "taken care of," or "improved" (unless they, their family or guardian requests the help). The new model assumes they are as able as the next person to nurture and care for other living things — that their lives have meaning and purpose; that dignity and respect are inherent, not contrived. The new model assumes they are already whole and vital persons, and it shows in the way they are spoken to, with, or about.
The gains for those involved are immeasurable. The primary goals with this new model are:
These vitally important feelings are their own ends.
As Garden Partners has grown, we have seen these outcomes demonstrated repeatedly in our programs, and we are so excited about reaching an increasing number of individuals and organizations.
Our
vision is for our world’s elderly and physically, mentally
or emotionally challenged individuals and at-risk youth, to be re-integrated
into society in an immediate and concrete way. The garden, whether it's indoors
or outdoors, is the ideal place for this to happen.
Not to mention, as the saying goes, that everyone needs to eat — and most everyone eats vegetables! So the necessity is built in.
All of this happens in a climate of relaxed fun. Who could resist?
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P.O. Box 13280 |
503-288-1280 |
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