Belleville, IL Assisted Living and Nursing Home Communities Create Resident Gardens

May 22, 2012 - PRLog -- Coming to a retirement community is a major life transition! However, it can also be an exciting time with less home maintenance and housework, and more time to do things we haven’t always had the time to really enjoy, and even to try new experiences!

The Apartment Community just planted their 3rd Community Garden!  The last two years have been so successful that this year we have 10 raised beds as well as ground available for plants!  You could just feel the positive energy and excitement as folks began to gather around and get the seeds or plants that they had requested!    Everyone began sharing stories of their gardens and naturally, everyone had opinions on the best way to go about it!  We have several experienced gardeners as well as folks who just want to “feel their hands in the dirt!”  Residents enjoy planting, watering, weeding and picking!  Residents can take what they want, the Chef uses the fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables for our salad bar, and any surplus is taken to the Food Pantry!
 
“There can be no other occupation like gardening in which, if you were to creep up behind someone at their work, you would find them smiling“--Mirabel Osler

Last year we had several residents from the nursing home come by and pull a cherry tomato, warm  from the sun, off the vine and pop it in their mouths – the look on their faces was divine!  So, our St. Francis Assisted Living and the Dammert Geriatric Center have also begun their first community gardens!

Amidst all this quiet beauty, creativity is stimulated, socializing and laughing comes easy, as well as quiet meditative time – it has definitely turned out to be more than just “a garden.”  

The Apartment Community of Our Lady of the Snows has provided carefree, purposeful retirement living for people of all faiths for more than 35 years. Once you choose to live here, you need never worry about moving again. We have excellent assisted living and skilled nursing care on-site to meet your needs for life.

As a ministry of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, we live out their spirit and values on our campus at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows – the perfect setting for those who wish to deepen their faith and rekindle their hopes. We are the only retirement community located on the grounds of a national Catholic shrine.

For More Information:

Kimberly Patterson
Community Relations
Apartment Community Our Lady of Snows
726 Community Drive
Belleville IL 62223
http://www.apartmentcommunity.org
618-394-6851