Celebrating Life: For Senior Gardeners Who Are Alone

Q: I’m a 75-year-old woman who loves to garden and often did so with my husband, who died last year. It’s not as much fun now that he’s gone. What are ways that I can get involved in gardening with others?

A: Gardening is a great hobby for any age, and is consistently listed among the most popular activities for seniors everywhere. Does your community have a garden club? If so, that’s one great way to get involved.

Perhaps you could contact a nursery and offer your services. They might have part-time or volunteer positions open. If you’re interested in being a mentor, a nursery could also connect you with organizations and individuals who would love to benefit from your expertise.

How about this: Look around your neighborhood for vacant plots of land and find out who owns them. Then, approach the owner about organizing a vegetable or flower garden. Find a few neighbors who want to help. Those who participate can then share in the fruits of their labor.

Do the grounds around your church or synagogue need sprucing up? If so, you might just be the person who’s needed to do the job. Many houses of worship maintain their properties with volunteer help.

Do you have a friend who likes to garden? Why not do a joint project – your friend takes half of the garden and you take the other half. You could even have a friendly competition. Who can grow the largest tomatoes?

Perhaps you could help a neighbor or friend who can’t garden anymore. Contact your local nursery for information about how to create container gardens. A container garden features vegetables, herbs or flowers contained in a single pot. Pot one for a friend, place it on a deck, help that person fertilize and water the garden, and they can then watch their own garden grow. You can get and give fulfillment by bringing the enjoyment of gardening to someone who can no longer participate in the hobby.

If you don’t know many people in your community, consider hiring a non-medical caregiver, such as one from Home Instead Senior Care.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, contact Scott Johnson at 905.847.8433 or visit the Home Instead site.

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