As hard as she tries to stay mobile, your mom has arthritis in her spine and doesn’t walk far. She loves gardening and doesn’t want to give up her favorite hobby. Her doctor suggested getting a wheelchair for gardening. What types of gardens will work best in this situation, and how can in-home care help?

Greenhouse Gardening

You could purchase a small greenhouse kit and use pavers, crushed stone, or bricks to create a safe path for her to use when getting around. Many have shelving all ready to go on the sides, so she just needs to add the potted plants.

Raised Garden Table

Look into raised garden tables that can be placed on a deck or patio. These rectangular gardens are on legs and resemble a table with space that accommodates the wheelchair. Your mom rolls up to the table and can reach the middle. Fill the table area with dirt and plant seeds or seedlings right into the soil.

Some of these garden tables are self-watering, so there’s no need to fill a watering can and carry it to the table. You’ll also find them with storage for hand tools, so your mom just needs to wheel herself to the table to start gardening.

Raised garden tables are handy as you don’t have to have a patio. Line your mom’s sidewalk or driveway with them. She’ll be able to access them as long as the ground is level enough for the wheelchair to move back and forth.

Table-Top Patio Plants

Consider setting up patio planters on stands or benches. Your mom is easily able to wheel to the side of the elevated pots and start tending to her plants. If you’re creative, you could add hooks to the bench or stand and have tools close by.

The benefit of this gardening system is that you can space them to meet your mom’s preferences. If she wants them on both her front porch and back deck or patio, you can move them as needed.

Vertical Gardens

Line your mom’s patio area with vertical gardens. Plants grow up a trellis, which can make it easier to harvest some vegetables. She’s going to need help reaching vines that have climbed higher than she can safely reach.

Make sure your mom has the support she needs during the week. If she’s in her garden, who checks to make sure she’s drinking enough water and applying sunscreen? Does she have someone to carry garden tools and produce back to the house for her? Services from an in-home care agency can help with this.

Arrange in-home care after your family has a discussion to determine what days your mom is alone and could use help. What other services might help her? Would she like to have someone to do her laundry and clean her home? Once you know, talk to an advisor in home care to get started.

If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Bethesda, MD, please contact the caring staff at Care At Home today. 301-970-9706

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Ann Smith RN

Owner at Care at Home

Ann Smith, RN, Realtor® Your local Home care and Home transition expert Ann is a Registered Nurse and a Realtor with a passion and dedication to serving her community. She has over twenty years of nursing experience in pediatric, geriatric, home health care, and care management. She founded Care at Home, a home care company, to provide seniors with services that promote independence and safe aging in place. Ann is dedicated to helping seniors achieve stress-free retirement living by providing comprehensive services from health to home. Ann's mother instilled in her the value of hard work, dedication, and service to others at a young age, which is now a driving force in her home care agency. Her caring and compassionate work with seniors began when she was just 17 years old. She was offered a job as a caregiver. Just as quickly, she instinctively knew that this would be her life's work. She soon became a nurse and has since helped many older adults transition seamlessly into a new phase of life. While helping seniors and individuals with their home care needs, it became apparent that part of the transition process often involved selling their current home for more suitable living arrangements. That's when Ann decided to add real estate services to alleviate stress and enhance her client's experience. It's also how she became known as the Home Transition Agent. Today, Ann helps her mature clients achieve stress-free retirement living by providing in-home care and comprehensive services from health to home. Ann's love for children and dedication to helping families caring for children with chronic health conditions inspired Pediatric Care at Home, a division of Care at Home that provides pediatric nursing care. Ann and her team are dedicated to providing compassionate care to all, from infants to older adults. When Ann isn't busy helping her patients and clients, she volunteers her time at women's shelters and fostering dogs. She and her veteran husband enjoy a simple life in the countryside, where farm animals and country life surround them. Ann also enjoys reading, photography, gardening, and nature walk with their dogs.

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