EDUCATING ~ CONNECTING ~ ENGAGING ~ NURTURING ~ REVITALIZING ~ COLLABORATING ~ INSPIRING
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MAHTN, Inc.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
President Peg Schofield, HTR Vice Presidents NJ - OPEN NY - Anne Meore, LMSW, HTR PA: Patti Loughridge, HTA Secretary Barbara Denson Treasurer Bette Walters DIRECTORS Elections and Awards Janelle Zigon, HTR Online Communications Gerrie Schmidt Programs Co-Chairs Michelle Marquez (NY) Mona Gold, HTM (PA) Membership Marsha Stamm Gayl, HTR Public Relations Brenda Sullivan Members at Large Megan Fainsinger – NJ Elle Lobatto – NY Mandy Swope-Joos, HTR – PA Board Advisor Phyllis D’Amico, HTR Newsletter Editor Pam Young, HTR; |
President's Message
Springtime Greetings!
Even with the crazy weather patterns, I think it’s safe to say: Spring is here! Hooray, another chance to “dig in” to nature and dream of the gardens of beautiful flowers and succulent veggies to come. We were treated to some early season delights at our last MAHTN meeting at Greenworks Farm on March 19th. How lovely to see our members, old and new, learning the hydroponic growing methods used in the vocational HT program there. How wonderful to taste the results of their work in the beautiful salad offered for lunch to our members. Many thanks go to Bette Walters and her brother Brad, for their generous offerings that day. Now on we go! Join us June 5th at our next members meeting in Suffern, NY at Good Samaritan Hospital, hosted by Anne Meore. Don’t miss this chance to tour the Garden of Hope. Mark your calendars! Our annual MAHTN Conference will be held Friday, October 21, at Medford Leas Retirement Community (medfordleas.org), in Medford, NJ. We are gathering an exciting group of speakers who will offer new ideas to spark your HT programs. You will learn the new ways that effective marketing strategies and the use of available technology can enhance and grow your HT business. In addition, we will tour the greenhouse and community gardens on this beautiful campus, which is also an arboretum! Come be a part of all our educational events, geared toward your personal growth as a HT professional. We are always looking for new sites to visit and ideas to share. Please step forward to help our great organization continue to grow. Feel free to bring a friend to the next meeting! I look forward to seeing you soon. Warmly, Peg Peg Schofield, HTR President, MAHTN |
MAHTN Members Meeting
"If You Build It, They Will Come!"
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Join Us on June 5th!
THE GARDEN OF HOPE
GOOD SAMARITAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 255 Lafayette Avenue Suffern, NY 10901 |
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Our next MAHTN meeting, which is open to everyone, will be June 5th starting at 11:30 at the GARDEN OF HOPE, in Suffern, NY. Bring a brown bag lunch and join us for a day of networking and seeing this unique HT site!
The focus of the meeting is “If You Build It, They Will Come…Horticultural Therapy as Community Outreach.” It includes a tour of the Garden of Hope, and will highlight the “ins and outs” of utilizing garden areas wisely and creating safe “spaces” within a garden setting. You will participate in an educational 'hands-on' project creating a vertical garden using recycled wooden pallets.
Thank you to our host Anne Meore LMSW, HTR and GSRMC Garden Ministry who are donating beverages and dessert. For questions please contact Anne be email ameore@plantropy.com Meet in the Board Room on the Main floor of the hospital. For more information and directions, or to RSVP, click here.
The focus of the meeting is “If You Build It, They Will Come…Horticultural Therapy as Community Outreach.” It includes a tour of the Garden of Hope, and will highlight the “ins and outs” of utilizing garden areas wisely and creating safe “spaces” within a garden setting. You will participate in an educational 'hands-on' project creating a vertical garden using recycled wooden pallets.
Thank you to our host Anne Meore LMSW, HTR and GSRMC Garden Ministry who are donating beverages and dessert. For questions please contact Anne be email ameore@plantropy.com Meet in the Board Room on the Main floor of the hospital. For more information and directions, or to RSVP, click here.
From the Editor
When I start pulling together particular articles for a newsletter they sometimes take on a life of their own without me trying. This particular edition I will call “kid friendly” although the information could be adapted for any population. Highlighted in this edition is our last MAHTN meeting at GreenWorks Farm, the Walter’s family farm. What a moving and inspirational day! If that gathering didn’t tug on your heartstrings then I guess that puts you in the category of the tin man and in need of a heart.
Be sure to make time in your busy schedule to come join us for our next meeting at the Garden of Hope at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Suffern, NY! And save the date for the fall conference in NJ! These meetings are your chance to get inspired, bring new life into your HT programming and have a chance to catch up with others working in the field of HT.
The following article on this page, on City Blossoms, highlights a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering healthy communities by developing creative, kid-driven green spaces and innovative resources. Time for your Vitamin N, by Richard Louv, provides 10 ways to encourage the nature connection in our work as HT’s. Also be sure to take a look at Richard Louv’s new book that comes out this month.
In this edition of Practitioner Forum, Lesley Fleming shares her advice on how to manage issues as they arise in an HT session. This issue rounds out with some HT Trivia and a great programming activity for kids and how to incorporate “Moon Trees” into your next session! Don’t forget, if you are still ordering seeds for your program consider ordering from Renee’s Seeds and use the special code at check out-they will donate a percentage of your sale to MAHTN! Enjoy this time of the year and all it brings, the emergence and appearance of leaves unfurling and the new life your garden will bestow this spring! — Pam Young, HTR
Be sure to make time in your busy schedule to come join us for our next meeting at the Garden of Hope at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Suffern, NY! And save the date for the fall conference in NJ! These meetings are your chance to get inspired, bring new life into your HT programming and have a chance to catch up with others working in the field of HT.
The following article on this page, on City Blossoms, highlights a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering healthy communities by developing creative, kid-driven green spaces and innovative resources. Time for your Vitamin N, by Richard Louv, provides 10 ways to encourage the nature connection in our work as HT’s. Also be sure to take a look at Richard Louv’s new book that comes out this month.
In this edition of Practitioner Forum, Lesley Fleming shares her advice on how to manage issues as they arise in an HT session. This issue rounds out with some HT Trivia and a great programming activity for kids and how to incorporate “Moon Trees” into your next session! Don’t forget, if you are still ordering seeds for your program consider ordering from Renee’s Seeds and use the special code at check out-they will donate a percentage of your sale to MAHTN! Enjoy this time of the year and all it brings, the emergence and appearance of leaves unfurling and the new life your garden will bestow this spring! — Pam Young, HTR
City Blossoms
Our First Harvest/Nuestra Primera Cosecha:
A Garden-Based Early Childhood Curriculum
Since 2009, City Blossoms has worked on 42 sites in Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. City Blossoms is a nonprofit dedicated to fostering healthy communities by developing creative, kid-driven green spaces and innovative resources. To disseminate what we learn, City Blossoms develops partnerships with schools and community-based organizations both in our home, Washington DC, and across the country. We accomplish this with a team of knowledgeable consultants and educators who share our unique brand of gardens, science, art, health instruction, and community building.
In this curriculum City Blossoms has shared their knowledge from years of experience to empower early-childhood educators in helping children build caring relationships with the world around them. This bilingual (Spanish/English) book is a collection of 30 activities, hints learned along the way and resources for both new and experienced teachers. These lessons are designed to be easily accessible and flexible to accommodate many types of green spaces--whether it is a garden or a few potted plants. This book is bound with a convenient coil binding for easy manipulation by teachers. For more information regarding the organization check out their website www.cityblossoms.org
In this curriculum City Blossoms has shared their knowledge from years of experience to empower early-childhood educators in helping children build caring relationships with the world around them. This bilingual (Spanish/English) book is a collection of 30 activities, hints learned along the way and resources for both new and experienced teachers. These lessons are designed to be easily accessible and flexible to accommodate many types of green spaces--whether it is a garden or a few potted plants. This book is bound with a convenient coil binding for easy manipulation by teachers. For more information regarding the organization check out their website www.cityblossoms.org
Greenworks Farm
Produce with a Purpose
Bette, Lukas and Lynn Walters
Our March MAHTN meeting was hosted by Board Member Bette Walters and other members of the Walters family at GreenWorks Farm. They shared with us a special place, their family business which recently expanded to grow produce in an all-natural hydroponic greenhouse while providing vocational training to those in their community. This labor of love began for them when this 4th generation farm family responded to the challenge of providing a viable future for Lukas Walters, who is the special needs son of Brad and Lynn Walters.
A pilot program has been started with an area school district to teach special needs teenagers and young adult’s hands-on job skills. It is their way of helping young people make the all-important transition from school to the workplace. Not only is the farm providing locally grown produce in a sustainable way, it’s giving these young people a chance for a better future by learning employable skills. Working under close-supervision, learning repetitive tasks in a group structure, these first trainees have proved the effectiveness of the GreenWorks Farm approach. Special thanks to Lukas and Rachel, their first trainees who helped show their workspace and provide the tours in the greenhouse. “We have always felt fortunate to have a family business that Lukas loves so much, a job that gives him fulfillment and joy,” says Lynn. “We wanted to share that opportunity with other families who have special needs kids.”
A pilot program has been started with an area school district to teach special needs teenagers and young adult’s hands-on job skills. It is their way of helping young people make the all-important transition from school to the workplace. Not only is the farm providing locally grown produce in a sustainable way, it’s giving these young people a chance for a better future by learning employable skills. Working under close-supervision, learning repetitive tasks in a group structure, these first trainees have proved the effectiveness of the GreenWorks Farm approach. Special thanks to Lukas and Rachel, their first trainees who helped show their workspace and provide the tours in the greenhouse. “We have always felt fortunate to have a family business that Lukas loves so much, a job that gives him fulfillment and joy,” says Lynn. “We wanted to share that opportunity with other families who have special needs kids.”
Lunch was provided and included a delicious salad grown on site. It was Lettuce on a Mission!, to quote a GreenWorks Farm marketing brochure. Everything tastes better when it’s giving kids a chance to grow. Customers can purchase directly at the GreenWorks Farm store located in North Wales, PA. And their hope is to also expand to be able to provide and market their produce on a much larger scale to restaurants and other wholesale customers. Attendees rounded out the day by each creating their own “Make and Take” succulent dish gardens. With so many varieties to choose from it was hard to decide which succulent’s to select. Pictured here is Bette, Lukas and Lynn Walters holding a creation.
Special thanks to Bette Walters and her family for their generosity, for sharing their inspirational and very personal story with us. MAHTN wishes them continued success in their mission of providing cause –based agriculture to those in their community.
TIME FOR YOUR VITAMIN 'N'
Ten great ways pediatricians and other health professionals
can promote health and wellness
can promote health and wellness
(Reprinted with permission by Richard Louv)
As horticultural therapists we are the link that encourages the nature connection. The following article has to do with how physicians and other healthcare professionals are prescribing nature as the next best medicine, breaking away from the philosophy of typical western medicine of “give them another pill”. I couldn’t be a bigger proponent. The 10 steps listed below should be what each of us does as practitioners in our HT programs. You don’t have to call your clients patients or have an MD behind your name to encourage the nature connection. –P. Young
Time spent in nature isn’t a panacea, but as therapy and prevention, it’s gaining respect among health professionals. “Connecting with nature has always been an important part of my life and now I encourage my patients to do the same,” says Stephen Pont, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Obesity. “Now, for my patients I look for any way to help them adopt healthier habits, and that often is by finding a non-traditional, stealth-health approach,” he adds. “Getting kids excited about nature is a natural fit. And the more nature experiences they have the more healthy habits they adopt.”
Mary Brown, M.D., a past member of the AAP board of directors, concurs: “Vitamin ‘N’ (the health benefits of time spent in nature) should find its place in the list of Essential Vitamins! If we stress a connection to the natural environment … we can lessen the lifelong effects of a stressful childhood including depression, obesity, behavior problems, drug use and risk-taking behavior.”
Why the growing interest in the mind-body-nature connection? Lawrence Rosen, M.D., a founding member and past chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Integrative Medicine, says part of the reason is the “mounting number of research studies [that] highlight the positive impact of free outdoor play on children’s emotional and physical health.” It also makes common sense.
Here are 10 ways that pediatricians and other health and wellness professionals can encourage the nature connection:
As horticultural therapists we are the link that encourages the nature connection. The following article has to do with how physicians and other healthcare professionals are prescribing nature as the next best medicine, breaking away from the philosophy of typical western medicine of “give them another pill”. I couldn’t be a bigger proponent. The 10 steps listed below should be what each of us does as practitioners in our HT programs. You don’t have to call your clients patients or have an MD behind your name to encourage the nature connection. –P. Young
Time spent in nature isn’t a panacea, but as therapy and prevention, it’s gaining respect among health professionals. “Connecting with nature has always been an important part of my life and now I encourage my patients to do the same,” says Stephen Pont, M.D., chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Obesity. “Now, for my patients I look for any way to help them adopt healthier habits, and that often is by finding a non-traditional, stealth-health approach,” he adds. “Getting kids excited about nature is a natural fit. And the more nature experiences they have the more healthy habits they adopt.”
Mary Brown, M.D., a past member of the AAP board of directors, concurs: “Vitamin ‘N’ (the health benefits of time spent in nature) should find its place in the list of Essential Vitamins! If we stress a connection to the natural environment … we can lessen the lifelong effects of a stressful childhood including depression, obesity, behavior problems, drug use and risk-taking behavior.”
Why the growing interest in the mind-body-nature connection? Lawrence Rosen, M.D., a founding member and past chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Integrative Medicine, says part of the reason is the “mounting number of research studies [that] highlight the positive impact of free outdoor play on children’s emotional and physical health.” It also makes common sense.
Here are 10 ways that pediatricians and other health and wellness professionals can encourage the nature connection:
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1. Learn more about the research on the restorative power of nature, and promote additional, needed research. Within the health care and wellness community, growing interest in the benefits of nature for children and adults is based on a growing body of scientific research (though more is needed), and alarm about what some medical experts call the pandemic of inactivity.
2. Prescribe nature. Recommend green exercise in nearby nature to your patients and their families. Use one of several nature-prescription pads supplied by different organizations, including C&NN. (Note: some health providers prefer the word “recommend” to “prescribe.”) Attend one of the Nature Champion training sessions offered by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). 3. Educate parents and kids. In your office, offer brochures and display posters about the health benefits of outdoor play in nature. Provide information on where parents, grandparents and other caregivers can get outdoors. NEEF offers reproducible brochures for your office and other useful resources and information. 4. Go a step further. On their first visit, send families home with a picnic or gardening basket or daypack filled with a guide to local trails, maps, a compass, a magnifying lens, a trowel. Enlist local outdoor gear shops and bookstores to donate the gear and reap the praise. (Send out a press release; this would be a good story for a local TV station and a great way to educate the public.) 5. Provide outdoor safety information: For example, provide Web site addresses or printed material on how to avoid ticks, noxious plants and other risks of nature, including the use of pesticides and herbicides on lawns. Parents have valid concerns about dangers outside, so they need knowledge about how to reduce those risks. At the same time, they need your help understanding the great risks of a sedentary lifestyle. |
6. Suggest nature as an added strategy to reduce ADHD symptoms in some children. Researchers at the University of Illinois suggest nature time as an added or alternative therapy for some children diagnosed with ADHD and other, similar conditions. Also, let parents know how nature can help many children without attention difficulties do better in school.
7. Encourage family bonding and community-building, through shared nature experiences. Many of the health issues facing young people today are rooted in their family and community lives and in accumulated toxic stress. Suggest nature time as a cost-effective bonding agent for parents, children, grandchildren and friends. Hand out C&NN’s family nature club toolkits, encouraging multiple families to head outside together. See C&NN’s resources including Together in Nature: Pathways to a Stronger, Closer Family. 8. Create a nature-smart office environment for your patients, your staff and yourself. Use biophilic design principles in your office, clinic or hospital. Create an outdoor play and learning space on the grounds of your practice, and encourage families to create natural play spaces in their own yards and neighborhoods – urban, suburban and rural. Set an example for your patients’ homes and gardens. 9. Spread the word. Help organize your community to confront the pandemic of inactivity and connect kids and families to green exercise. Get involved with or help start a regional campaign. More than 100 already exist in North America; these groups are your nearby allies. Dr. Rosen writes, “We must be willing, as a health-care profession, to leave our silos and work together with those colleagues in education, government, and environmental planning who value nature as a key to optimal health.” 10. Hike thyself. Be restored in nature. |
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About the Author:
Richard Louv is Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Children & Nature Network, an organization supporting the international movement to connect children, their families and their communities to the natural world. This article is reprinted with permission from C&NN. He is the author of eight books, including "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" and "The Nature Principle." His ninth book, "Vitamin N," will be published in April, 2016. In 2008, he was awarded the Audubon Medal. (C) Copyright Richard Louv. All rights reserved. |
HT PROGRAMMING ACTIVITY
Terra Cotta Garden Turtle
SUPPLIES:
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the thumb and fingers off of one jersey glove and stuff each piece with tissue. Once stuffed secure the end with a rubber band. The thumb will become the head and the 4 fingers will become the legs of the turtle.
Cut a long, thin triangular piece of material from the hand of the glove. This will become the long, thin tail of turtle.
Hot glue two pumpkin seeds (eyes) to the end of the thumb.
Paint the bottom saucer a solid color (or keep natural as pictured) and allow it to dry.
By means of a hot glue gun, secure the four legs, the tail and the head to the inside edge of the bottom saucer.
Using an assortment of acrylic paints create the top shell of the turtle. Come up with your own design. Show pictures of turtles for inspiration. Allow to dry.
Place painted shell on top. You can either glue it to the bottom saucer using a hot glue gun or keep it unattached so it could serve as a hide-a-key garden ornament.
- Two 4” terra cotta plant saucers
- Jersey knit gloves
- Tissues
- Scissors
- 5 Rubber bands
- Pumpkin Seeds-for turtle eyes
- Hot glue gun
- Paint brush
- Assorted shades of green and brown acrylic paint
- Pictures of turtles for inspiration
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the thumb and fingers off of one jersey glove and stuff each piece with tissue. Once stuffed secure the end with a rubber band. The thumb will become the head and the 4 fingers will become the legs of the turtle.
Cut a long, thin triangular piece of material from the hand of the glove. This will become the long, thin tail of turtle.
Hot glue two pumpkin seeds (eyes) to the end of the thumb.
Paint the bottom saucer a solid color (or keep natural as pictured) and allow it to dry.
By means of a hot glue gun, secure the four legs, the tail and the head to the inside edge of the bottom saucer.
Using an assortment of acrylic paints create the top shell of the turtle. Come up with your own design. Show pictures of turtles for inspiration. Allow to dry.
Place painted shell on top. You can either glue it to the bottom saucer using a hot glue gun or keep it unattached so it could serve as a hide-a-key garden ornament.
Practitioner Forum-Spring 2016
By Lesley Fleming, HTR
It is inevitable that issues arise when horticultural therapy programs are being delivered. The flow of a session is important for effectively delivering programs. This is most often recognized when there are disruptions that can compromise the effectiveness of the therapeutic process. With experience, horticultural therapists can learn to respond better to interruptions, develop skills in resuming activities or shift the focus if required.
Q: What are some tips for reducing interruptions from clients and staff during sessions?
A: Good planning prior to the delivery of any program can greatly reduce delivery site challenges. Working with facility staff to identify appropriate program space where there will be an expected level of privacy (this is a therapeutic service and some degree of privacy is expected), access to necessary materials (water source, table), no loud noises (or time of day for cleaning with motorized equipment), will reduce these types of interruptions. But do be prepared for staff, interested in your plants or activities to stop and possibly interrupt. Practice a polite but effective response—I would be happy to chat with you after my therapeutic horticulture session is concluded—and let administrator know that such disruptions affect clients’ abilities to listen, concentrate and enjoy. If delivery site continues to present challenges, consideration for a different location if possible should be discussed (for example an informal gathering area in the main hallway is probably not the ideal location).
Interruptions from clients are a different matter. Identifying those with hearing loss, cognitive deficits or propensity for chatter can prepare the horticultural therapist for dealing with verbal or other disruptions. Making groups smaller, providing buddy activities for socialization, structuring the flow of activity to allow for reminiscing or other sharing can embrace verbal disruptions that may optimize therapeutic goals related to client interaction or inclusion. Outbursts can be managed by speaking directly to clients before and after sessions, explaining the process and asking for their cooperation, by working one on one with clients with more expansive needs than a group session can accommodate or asking volunteers or staff to intercede when necessary. Loud verbal outbursts from some people with dementia can be a form of self-stimulation so understanding the population you are working with is essential to delivering the best possible therapeutic horticulture program possible.
Q: During one of my programs a person tripped and fell down on the ground. I was left with the group upset and staring at the person. How could I have handled this situation better?
First off safety is the top priority. Move walkers and canes away from the activity area so no one, client or practitioner will trip. And watch the floor surface for wet or slippery materials. Be aware of safety protocols prior to sessions. Does the nursing staff prefer to help anyone who falls to ensure medical assessment at the time of the accident? Is there trained staff at hand or close by who can manage the aftermath of the fall? Is emergency medical attention required and if so, have they been called?
Attending to the person who has fallen as quickly as possible is essential. Often this will be done by facility staff. Calming the assembled group and re-directing their focus back to the activity lessens everyone’s curiosity and gives the client some semblance of privacy. While not minimizing the fall, comments like “Mary is being taken care of now by staff or Mary will be back on her feet shortly” will help to normalize and reassure demonstrating sympathy and compassion. To bring the attention back to the plant activity, use voice variation, visual cues or other prompts. Delivering the rest of the session with a steady voice and smiles offers another layer of calm.
Reporting to managers, preparing paperwork or following up on the person who fell, can be done after the sessions concludes. Ultimately, the therapist should review what happened and determine if they own any of the responsibility for the tripping incident. Confirmation of liability coverage may also be timely and provide an opportunity to re-evaluate the type and level of such coverage.
It is inevitable that issues arise when horticultural therapy programs are being delivered. The flow of a session is important for effectively delivering programs. This is most often recognized when there are disruptions that can compromise the effectiveness of the therapeutic process. With experience, horticultural therapists can learn to respond better to interruptions, develop skills in resuming activities or shift the focus if required.
Q: What are some tips for reducing interruptions from clients and staff during sessions?
A: Good planning prior to the delivery of any program can greatly reduce delivery site challenges. Working with facility staff to identify appropriate program space where there will be an expected level of privacy (this is a therapeutic service and some degree of privacy is expected), access to necessary materials (water source, table), no loud noises (or time of day for cleaning with motorized equipment), will reduce these types of interruptions. But do be prepared for staff, interested in your plants or activities to stop and possibly interrupt. Practice a polite but effective response—I would be happy to chat with you after my therapeutic horticulture session is concluded—and let administrator know that such disruptions affect clients’ abilities to listen, concentrate and enjoy. If delivery site continues to present challenges, consideration for a different location if possible should be discussed (for example an informal gathering area in the main hallway is probably not the ideal location).
Interruptions from clients are a different matter. Identifying those with hearing loss, cognitive deficits or propensity for chatter can prepare the horticultural therapist for dealing with verbal or other disruptions. Making groups smaller, providing buddy activities for socialization, structuring the flow of activity to allow for reminiscing or other sharing can embrace verbal disruptions that may optimize therapeutic goals related to client interaction or inclusion. Outbursts can be managed by speaking directly to clients before and after sessions, explaining the process and asking for their cooperation, by working one on one with clients with more expansive needs than a group session can accommodate or asking volunteers or staff to intercede when necessary. Loud verbal outbursts from some people with dementia can be a form of self-stimulation so understanding the population you are working with is essential to delivering the best possible therapeutic horticulture program possible.
Q: During one of my programs a person tripped and fell down on the ground. I was left with the group upset and staring at the person. How could I have handled this situation better?
First off safety is the top priority. Move walkers and canes away from the activity area so no one, client or practitioner will trip. And watch the floor surface for wet or slippery materials. Be aware of safety protocols prior to sessions. Does the nursing staff prefer to help anyone who falls to ensure medical assessment at the time of the accident? Is there trained staff at hand or close by who can manage the aftermath of the fall? Is emergency medical attention required and if so, have they been called?
Attending to the person who has fallen as quickly as possible is essential. Often this will be done by facility staff. Calming the assembled group and re-directing their focus back to the activity lessens everyone’s curiosity and gives the client some semblance of privacy. While not minimizing the fall, comments like “Mary is being taken care of now by staff or Mary will be back on her feet shortly” will help to normalize and reassure demonstrating sympathy and compassion. To bring the attention back to the plant activity, use voice variation, visual cues or other prompts. Delivering the rest of the session with a steady voice and smiles offers another layer of calm.
Reporting to managers, preparing paperwork or following up on the person who fell, can be done after the sessions concludes. Ultimately, the therapist should review what happened and determine if they own any of the responsibility for the tripping incident. Confirmation of liability coverage may also be timely and provide an opportunity to re-evaluate the type and level of such coverage.
About the author
Lesley Fleming is a registered horticultural therapist living in Florida. She delivers therapeutic horticulture programs to multiple populations, conducts HT workshops in both Canada and the U.S., and her articles are featured regularly in HT trade publications including eatbreathegarden.com. Her latest research in 2015, Veteran to Farmer Programs: An Emerging Nature-Based Programming Trend was published in the Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture 25(1) 27-48.
Lesley Fleming is a registered horticultural therapist living in Florida. She delivers therapeutic horticulture programs to multiple populations, conducts HT workshops in both Canada and the U.S., and her articles are featured regularly in HT trade publications including eatbreathegarden.com. Her latest research in 2015, Veteran to Farmer Programs: An Emerging Nature-Based Programming Trend was published in the Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture 25(1) 27-48.
What are Moon Trees?
By Pam Young, HTR
What child isn’t fascinated by space, the moon and the stars? Making a wish, flying through space, the mystical and unknown…..and you have to admit, at the age of 7 that you may have said you too wanted to be an astronaut when you grew up!
There is a connection to trees amidst the rocket ships that flew to the moon. The idea of “Moon Trees” and their introduction took place on Apollo 14’s mission which took place 45 years ago. Seeds were carried to the moon and back in 1971. The “Moon Trees’ were Redwoods, Loblolly Pines, Sycamores, Douglas Firs and Sweetgums. The Apollo 14 was the third mission to land astronauts on the moon. Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, orbited above in the command module. Stuart Roosa choose to fly with 500 tree seeds. One of his former jobs was as a smoke jumper for the US Forest Service and the seeds were provided by the Forest Service’s genetics research staff.
According to Stan Krugman a geneticist, “The scientists wanted to find out what would happen to these seeds if they took a ride to the moon. Would they spout? Would the trees look normal?” It turns out the trees did flourish and saplings started by the Forest Service were planted across the nation. The first of the Moon Trees, was planted at Washington Square, in Philadelphia in 1975. (The tree that grow there now is a clone of the original which unfortunately died in 2011.)
Regrettably detailed records were not kept of where every tree ended up. David Williams, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, began a website to track where the “Moon Trees” had gone. Williams has now recorded the locations of more than 75 Moon Trees in 25 states and in Brazil, Switzerland and Japan. “I think when people are aware of the heritage of the trees, they usually take steps to preserve them,” Williams said. Stuart Roosa passed away in 1994 but a “Moon Tree” grows at his grave in Arlington Cemetery.
Consider sharing this connection to history, to the moon and to trees during your next HT session. For a list of “Moon Tree” locations and to see those that are still surviving check out http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tr
What child isn’t fascinated by space, the moon and the stars? Making a wish, flying through space, the mystical and unknown…..and you have to admit, at the age of 7 that you may have said you too wanted to be an astronaut when you grew up!
There is a connection to trees amidst the rocket ships that flew to the moon. The idea of “Moon Trees” and their introduction took place on Apollo 14’s mission which took place 45 years ago. Seeds were carried to the moon and back in 1971. The “Moon Trees’ were Redwoods, Loblolly Pines, Sycamores, Douglas Firs and Sweetgums. The Apollo 14 was the third mission to land astronauts on the moon. Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, orbited above in the command module. Stuart Roosa choose to fly with 500 tree seeds. One of his former jobs was as a smoke jumper for the US Forest Service and the seeds were provided by the Forest Service’s genetics research staff.
According to Stan Krugman a geneticist, “The scientists wanted to find out what would happen to these seeds if they took a ride to the moon. Would they spout? Would the trees look normal?” It turns out the trees did flourish and saplings started by the Forest Service were planted across the nation. The first of the Moon Trees, was planted at Washington Square, in Philadelphia in 1975. (The tree that grow there now is a clone of the original which unfortunately died in 2011.)
Regrettably detailed records were not kept of where every tree ended up. David Williams, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, began a website to track where the “Moon Trees” had gone. Williams has now recorded the locations of more than 75 Moon Trees in 25 states and in Brazil, Switzerland and Japan. “I think when people are aware of the heritage of the trees, they usually take steps to preserve them,” Williams said. Stuart Roosa passed away in 1994 but a “Moon Tree” grows at his grave in Arlington Cemetery.
Consider sharing this connection to history, to the moon and to trees during your next HT session. For a list of “Moon Tree” locations and to see those that are still surviving check out http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tr
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