Provided/Eldergrow Educator Mikkele Lawless (right) helps a resident water the plants in the indoor garden.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – Residents at Seashore Gardens Living Center made homemade seed packets to give to loved ones during a recent Eldergrow session. They decorated the “seeds of gratitude” packets in beautiful watercolors. A second group of seniors participated in an Eldergrow culinary program where they made their own violet jelly.

Assisted Living residents proudly show off their homemade violet jelly from the Eldergrow culinary program.

Eldergrow is a therapeutic gardening program that engages residents in meaningful ways, physically, socially, cognitively, creatively and spiritually.

Director of Recreation Missy Rundio peeks at resident Florence’s seeds.

The benefits of therapeutic horticulture are numerous and include improving motor skills, reducing the risk factors for dementia, elevating mood, improving sleep, reducing falls, reducing agitation, improving self-esteem, and acting as an antidepressant.

SGLC residents hand painted their Seeds of Gratitude packets.

The Sephardic Home Foundation provided an intergenerational grant to fund the program.


Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.