Flower Baskets Program for Our Elders

The home care program again provided flowers to encourage our Elders to walk outdoors.  The goal is to encourage walking, put a smile on their faces and create beauty. 

One of our cherished Elders Lucy shared her feelings.  She says, “I want to thank the Home Care Nursing Program for the baskets of flowers.  The flowers are nice.  I look at them every day.  I want to thank Babs for my little angel who looks up from my basket of flowers.  Your little angel watches each one of us when we come and go.  I have never had a flower garden until the Home Care Program did this for me.  Thank you.”

Heather Holland remarked, “It was a blast to host the Elders picnic.  I enjoyed helping the Elders make their flower baskets.  We looked forward to building the baskets with all the Elders. I want to thank my daughter Sandy for helping serve all our guests. 

Mom said the yard looked beautiful.  Please thank everyone for my mom. She really enjoyed being picked up from the hospital and brought home for the day.  She really looked forward to this. Thank you Brian for picking up the Elders.”

Home Care Nursing Program worker Yvonne commented, “It was my turn.  I waited three years to get the chance to plant flowers with my Elders.  I didn't mind the dirty fingers, it was all worth it.  Tom Jones made me laugh the most.  We had fun with who is to water the pets on the porch.  They look pretty Tom. 

Audy's family did a wonderful job making us feel at home.  Brian White, Tony White and Paul White all cracked me up with their joking about my sad flowers in my small pot.   I can still hear their laughter.  I have heard from many Elders that they are enjoying their flowers, so keep up your walking.  And like Connie said keep talking to your plants and I will do the same.”

Connie Paul, who enjoys helping the Elders every year with the flower program remarked to Sandra Good, retiring Health Administrator, “I want to personally thank you for your ongoing support with this project, this is the third annual Elders gardening project. 

Many of the Elders that have previously benefited from this program have passed.  New clients have been identified for this project.  I shared this story with an Occupational Therapist from VIHA and next year she and several others from VIHA have volunteered their time to this kind of creativity. 

The Elders are enjoying their plants. I have seen many of these Elders walk outside, groom their plants, smile and water them, always thanking us for the flowers.  More than one elder has told me that in their life time they have never grown flowers and stated that if they knew how much joy that flowers bring to them, their family and grandchildren they would have done it years ago.”

Thank you to everyone that helped with this program!