My first Magazine St Joseph's Home_40th Anniversary magazine.compres | Page 71

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washed his ha
how well he’s
the residents to touch and smell.
We spent the next three sessions
promoting our project and getting
the residents involved.
We spent the next three
sessions promoting our project
and getting the residents
involved.
The most popular plant the
residents would like to grow?
Curry leaves!
When we finally got down to
potting the plants with soil, we
asked the residents to put their
names on the pots and left them
in their care.
A week later, the plants were
dead!
Everyone was dejected and
a couple of residents called
it quits. But we persisted and
encouraged them. That’s when
we got to know the residents
better and realised there are
those who really love gardening,
those who only want to harvest
and cook the herbs and others
who are content with just looking
at the plants.
Phase 2
With the knowledge
gleaned from phase 1,
our team broke down the
planting process down
conducted
ing workshops
en
rd
ga
lts of
on
s-
and hand
tom left) resu
Basic theory
Ming and (bot
ow
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e
m
an
ho
Ti
r
e
th
ee
of
lunt
by NParks vo
different parts
ans grown in
the green be
into more manageable tasks
like potting, seeding, watering,
fertilising and harvesting/
cooking. We also rostered
ourselves visit the home such
that there’ll be someone to water
the plants daily (if the residents
forget to do so)
After several weeks, our
efforts bore fruit. We had enough
fresh green basil and mint leaves
to make a meal of omelette with
mint tea and honey, both Francis’
idea. The residents helped to
chop the herbs and fry the eggs
while the volunteers made tea.
Success never tasted sweeter!
Seeing the smiles on
everyone’s faces filled us with
indescribable joy. It’s not about
how grand the garden is or how
fast we get there. It’s really this
relationship that we share with
the residents!
The Future of Ageing
The years after 50 look clearer
now. I realise it is about
recalibrating
my expectations about what
will bring me meaning and joy.
Money and time are no longer
in the driver’s seat. Instead,
experiences matter.
The residents have changed
my concept of time. I used to
be in a hurry but not anymore.
When I cycle around my
neighbourhood, I can stop to
explore something that catches
my eye. I have also stopped
keeping track of how long
conversations with my parents
last and the number of times they
repeat themselves.
At age 50, I enrolled in
the HMI INstitute of Health
Sciences to study to become a
physiotherapist. I can imagine
myself spurring others, including
seniors, to better health. I also
see myself working on longer-
term engagements with St
Joseph’s Home. This is how
relationships can be properly
fostered. With every interaction
and every new friend made, I see
myself learning how to prepare
for my own ageing and how to
better connect with people of all
ages.” StJ
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