T h e r a p e u T i c

Gardeni nG
Right for your employees. Right for you.
TOO MANY OLDER ADULTS AND
PEOPLE WTH PHYSCAL OR MENTAL
MPARMENTS N RELAND ARE LVNG
UNDER-STMULATED, SOLATED LVES.
As a result, care-givers struggle to find ways
to support the people they serve, who often
feeling helpless and alone. Despite their
best efforts, their lives often lack meaning,
spontaneity, choice and connection.
Thats where GardenWell helps - a
programme that brings Therapeutic
Horticulture into the lives of seniors and people
with physical and mental impairments to
empower them to be more active, connected,
and engaged in life - key ingredients for living
healthier, more fulfilling and longer lives!
Therapeutic Horticulture uses recreation,
leisure and meaningful activity to create
favourable change in the person being
served. Services can be provided to a
variety of populations. Common interventions
include gentle physical activity, social and
community involvement, cognitive stimulation,
reminiscence, sensory stimulation, and plant
therapy.
Common benefits include autonomy and
choice in how free time is spent, improved
physical skills, fall prevention, new skill
development, slowed down cognitive decline,
ability to participate in favourite activities in
adapted ways, improved quality of life, and
peace of mind for families. In fact, studies
have long shown that keeping active
(physically and mentally) and participating in
leisure activities can slow the aging process. It
can even prevent or delay many diseases and
disabilities.
We all know the benefits of gardening.
Recently there have been many studies
documenting the positive impact of gardening
on depression, anxiety, agitation, pain and
insomnia. GardenWell is a programme that
brings the therapeutic joys of gardening
into the lives of the elderly or infirm, vastly
improving quality of life.
The program was designed by Sinead Drew
to help reconnect people with their histories,
memory and family and to restore a sense of
self often lost through the aging process and
disability. Gardening, one-on-one or in groups,
can relieve boredom, empower choice, enable
memory and encourage connection and
communication with family and caregivers.
conTenTs:
paGe one: Therapeutic Gardening
paGe Two: GardenWell Horticultural Therapy for older adults
paGe Three: About Sinead Drew and GardenWell - Brief bio and mission.
paGe four: How GardenWell can help - Gardening and horticulture activities and programmes.
horTiculTuralTherapy
sinead drew (01) 487 5660 sinead@Gardenwell.orG www.Gardenwell.orG
Gardening is a wonderfully flexible
medium that can transform lives,
regardless of age or disability.
Better physical health through
exercise and learning how to use
or strengthen muscles to improve
mobility
Improved mental health through a
sense of purpose and achievement
The opportunity to connect with
others reducing feelings of
isolation or exclusion
Just feeling better for being in
touch with nature
Activities can be geared towards any of
the following objectives:
Living and self-care independence
Physical health maintenance
Physical health improvement
Cognitive functional-level
maintenance
Age appropriate leisure skill
development
Emotional status improvement
Social interaction with peers
Kind hearts are
the garden, kind
thoughts are the root,
kind words are the
blossoms, kind deeds
are the fruit
- John Ruskin
WHAT
Garden programme for older adults
with or without physical or mental
impairments. Offering gardening and
social, recreational and therapeutic
plant and garden activities.
WHY
Gardening empowers us to be more
active, connected, and engaged in life
- key ingredients for living healthier,
more fulfilling and longer lives!
WHERE
Nursing Homes and Daycare centres.
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
The GardenWell horticultural therapy
programme offers residents the
opportunity to participate in four-
season garden clubs. These groups
involve residents in a wide array of
activities related to plants, gardening,
nature and the outdoor environment.
Residents meet weekly or twice a
month with a horticultural therapist.
Horticulture therapy is one of the
best ways to improve the emotional
state of residents in nursing homes.
Tending to plants decreases anxiety
and develops and maintains gross
motor skills. Also, sitting in a garden
setting produces mental and sensory
stimulation.
Sample activities may include:
Aromatic Herbals
Creating seasonal fresh-cut floral
arrangements
Indoor plantscaping and plant care
Creating magnificent hanging
baskets and window boxes
Harvesting food and flowers
Eco-Terrariums
Succulent Masterpieces
Designer Containers
Skeleton Leaf Art
Gardenwell horTiculTural Therapy
for older adulTs
usinG naTure To nurTure
GardenWell Vision: To enrich peoples lives through the therapeutic joys of gardening. To be inclusive,
respective and caring to all people at any stage of live. By providing supportive, professional and positive
gardening programmes, GardenWell aims to lighten the load of everyday life, to spark an unknown
interest or passion and allow each person to blossom in their own way and time.
BenefiTs of
GardeninG
profile
My activities are varied but focus on
championing the benefits of gardening
to individuals and organisations, as well
as teaching techniques and practical
applications so that everyone can take
part and enjoy gardening.
I have experience with many garden
projects serving a wide variety of
agencies and individuals.
One of my key activities is to help
marginalised people to enjoy and to
continue gardening. I offer help and
advice and practical experience.
I offer vocational horticulture training
and tailored gardening programmes and
curricula for many client populations.
I also conduct research to increase
understanding of the power that
gardening has to change peoples lives.
WAS BROUGHT UP N A LARGE FAMLY WTH A SPRAWLNG GARDEN
ROSES, CAMELLAS, A GORGEOUS CLEMATS MONTANA AND TONS
OF DAYLLES WAS LUCKY TO HAVE A MOTHER WHO WAS A KEEN
GARDENER AND WHO BESTOWED UPON ME HER KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE OF
PLANTS AND FLOWERS...
aBouT me
... Most days I would be handed out
tasks that, with hindsight, would lay
many of the foundations for what I do
today. The lawn had to be mown, the
onions weeded, carrots thinned or
perhaps the strawberries harvested.
I spent a long time in the garden and,
despite my tender age, learnt how to do
many basic horticultural tasks. I learnt
the cycle of nature.
This contentment
is something I
always refer back
to, especially when
Im feeling down.
The garden and
gardening itself has
never failed to be a
source of inspiration
and comfort for me.
For many years this
did not translate into anything other than
a private richness. I did my B.A degree
in Communications and I studied
Physical Therapy for a time, I worked
many different jobs. My husband and I
gardened together from almost the first
day we bought our first home but in our
own time. The thought of gardening as a
vocation never entered my mind.
It was when I worked as a facilitator
in an activity based rehabilitation
sinead drew: Gardenwell
programme that I first saw how essential
positive training is to recovery and
development. At that time, I had never
even heard of horticultural therapy or
therapeutic horticulture.
My quest for more knowledge
continued, a formal qualification in
horticulture followed and then, as
luck would have it, I got my break
co-coordinating and running a pilot
horticultural activity programme in
a new state-of-the-art residential
care facility catering for people with
a variety of conditions ranging from
depression, challenging behaviours,
autism, acquired brain injuries, the blind
and personality
disorders.
I went on to do
a postgraduate
qualification
in Social and
Therapeutic
Horticulture
in Coventry
University, which
paved the way for
many invaluable
experiences
in many garden projects that have
served a wide variety of agencies and
individuals.
Today, my work at GardenWell aims
to be a bridge between the world of
horticulture and the world of health.
Simple things cutting a hedge,
planting a tray of sunflowers can
lighten the load of everyday life, can
spark an unknown interest or passion
and allow each person to blossom in
their own way and time.
Sinead has a fantastic
ability to motivate others to
do meaningful activities, she
encourages self belief and
independence. Its just amazing
how much positive feedback
the participants give .
Dr. Tom OBrien
ABOUT
WHAT GARDENWEL L OF F ERS
Being part of
the garden
programme
has helped me
become more
independent and
motivated
Sinead is very
easy to talk to, she
can get the best
out of me which
is very good. She
motivates me to
garden
The most valuable
thing Sinead
has done for me
is to keep me
focused on what
I am doing, my
concentration
levels have really
increased
Using my passion for the power of gardening to positively impact
the lives of people, I will:
n
Teach practical and creative ways to use gardening
n
Support positive social bonds
n
Learn more about how gardening helps us
n
Talk about what I do and how I help others to help their

community be a better place by using gardening
n
Work with organisations and the individuals they serve
I offer a person centred series of engaging plant and natural craft
activities as part of every GardenWell programme.
To find out more about SInead Drew and GardenWell:
n
visit www.gardenwell.org
n
Phone 01 487 5660
n
or send an email to sinead@gardenwell.org
Contact Sinead
01 487 5660
087 6977 486
moBile indoor / ouTdoor Garden sysTems
If your group has limited access to outdoor space, or local restrictions that prevent
the establishment of an outdoor garden, indoor gardening is an excellent alternative.
During wet and cold conditions Mobile Gardens are perfect for indoor activities.