Help! My Elderly Father Can’t Garden Anymore
Elaina’s father had always been an avid gardener and took great pride in cultivating beautiful flowers as well as delicious fruits and vegetables. However, as he grew older, it became much harder for him to keep up with his garden and it often became weed-infested by mid-summer.
Elderly Care in Brownsburg IN: Senior Gardening Benefits
After her father’s stroke, he moved in with Elaina and her family to recover.
However, she didn’t like how he just spent his days watching television. When Elaina heard about container gardening from a co-worker, she knew it was the perfect thing to get her elderly father active and outdoors once again.
Gardening is one of the most popular hobbies in the country and it can be a wonderful way to spend time active and outdoors. When elderly adults become dependent on family caregivers and elder care assistants for their daily care, they often must let many of their hobbies go due to physical limitations. The good news is that gardening doesn’t have to be one of those thanks to container gardening.
Container gardening is growing plants in individual containers rather than in the ground. Instead of planting rows and rows of vegetables or an entire bed of flowers, the smaller containers hold a few plants. It’s an ideal way to downsize a gardening hobby, especially for elderly adults that are not as active, mobile or strong as they once were. The best part about container gardening is that it can be modified to suit just about everyone’s ability and even seniors in wheelchairs can benefit from it.
So what do family caregivers need to do to get their elderly relative started with container gardening?
The most important step is to get the right containers. Almost anything can be used to grow plants, from pots, buckets, and tubs to hanging baskets and table-style raised beds. Other options include old wheelbarrows, half barrels, and even old bathtubs. As long as the container has adequate drainage and meets the size requirements for the plants to grow, it can be used. The containers should be easy for the aging adult to reach, such as on a ledge, table or shelf.
Container plants need a little extra care compared to plants grown in the ground. The containers allow the soil to heat up faster than traditional gardens, and the soil dries out more quickly. They’ll need regular watering and monitoring to ensure they thrive. Containers can be moved in and out of the sun easily as well. They can be set on a sunny porch or patio, on a balcony, at the edge of the driveway or even in a sunny window. Many times, seniors can access these areas more easily than a corner of the yard for a traditional garden.
When the elderly adult is working in their container garden outdoors, they are being active and enjoying the outdoors. Consider planting some flowers that attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds for added beauty. Seniors will love harvesting fruits and vegetables from their container garden as well, bringing a burst of self-confidence and accomplishment. It’s easy to see why container gardening is the ideal hobby for dependent elderly adults.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elderly Care in Brownsburg, IN, please call the caring staff at Home Services Unlimited. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: (317) 471-0760
Source:
https://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/
As a practicing Registered Nurse, Etelka was keenly aware of a void in quality patient care that could be provided in the home. She embarked upon a journey to develop a home health care agency that would exceed all expectations and become a trusted partner to physicians and patients.
A Distinguished Career From Nurse to Director of Nursing to President of Home Services Unlimited
Etelka’s distinguished career followed a logical progression to her position as President of Home Services Unlimited. She graduated as a nurse practitioner with a Bachelor of Nursing (RN) in 1972 from Meshgorya University in the Ukraine, close to where she lived with her family. She married her husband Phil in 1973 and decided in 1977 that they would relocate to the United States to be closer to family and to come to this land of opportunity. With an eagerness to continue her budding career, Etelka sat for and passed her Boards in the U.S. in 1979.
A Love and Talent for Working with the Elderly
Etelka began her nursing career in the U.S. at Colonial Crest, now part of Golden Living, where she was the In-service Coordinator, the Director of Training and Education and Director of Nursing, a position she occupied for several years.
With a group of partners, she co-founded Adept Corporation, which operated group homes for the mentally challenged. The business was successful and in 1996, Etelka sold her share to return to her roots, caring for the elderly.
In January of 1997, Etelka opened Home Services Unlimited as a fully licensed business to provide home health care. In her quest to learn to do better for her patients, she had already obtained a Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) in May of 1990 from the College of St. Francis. As President of Home Services Unlimited, Inc., Etelka guides the trusted, experienced care model Home Services Unlimited uses to continue providing excellent home health care.
Giving Back to the Community of Indianapolis
Volunteering for community services is a high priority for Etelka. Her memberships include the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Executive Women in Health Care and the Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, where she is a member of the Board of Directors.
Etelka has also served on the Board of Directors with Hooverwood Home, a highly regarded geriatric facility, since 1997 and as the President for 2005-2006. Through her community work, she has received several awards and accolades, including the Nora McFarland award in 2002, from the Indiana Association of Home and Hospice Care.
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