Edenvale-based Ron Smith Care Centre residents receive special horticultural therapy
SANDRINGHAM – Horticultural therapy is introduced to residents of the Ron Smith Care Centre.
The residents of the special dementia wing at Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre in Edenvale had the opportunity to enjoy horticultural therapy.
Spokesperson for the centre, Cathy Grosvenor said, “Horticultural or gardening therapy is a relatively new humanistic approach and is based on the idea that there is a special connection between people and plants, between people and the gardening pursuit and between people and their natural surroundings.
“Therefore, gardening therapy is about plants and gardening activities and the innate closeness we all feel towards nature. It is used as a vehicle to bring certain therapeutic benefits to the participants.”
At the introductory session, care workers assisted horticultural therapists Elaine and Leung Ho. The therapists started off with a sensory activity which involved residents rubbing lavender, mint and a special plant variety called apple mint between their fingers and smelling the scent that was released.
Residents then filled pots with soil and planted parsley and pansies before watering the plants.
Rand Aid’s recreational programme manager, Debbie Christen said, “Elaine and Leung Ho recently responded to our appeal for new volunteers to assist us with various occupational and recreational activities. When we had our first chat, I was so excited to learn that Leung is a horticulturist who has a baccalaureus technologiae in horticulture from Unisa and that he has a special interest in using gardening activities for therapeutic purposes. I immediately thought it would be a perfect activity for River Lodge 3, our special wing for residents living with dementia.”
Grosvenor said, “The session ended with instructions for residents on how to continue caring for their new plants. When practiced over time, these simple gardening tasks can provide sensory and memory stimulation and mild exercise, increase movement, improve orientation to reality, increase a sense of community and decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation.
“This was a wonderful morning activity which the care workers enjoyed as well. They will all be watching out for the pansies which should be flowering very soon.”
Edited by Stacey Woensdregt
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