Meaningful activity in the garden
Southern Cross Care’s community respite services enable clients to live at home for longer, with better well-being. Part of everyday living should be spending time doing activities outside of your home, whether that is in your own garden or a community garden space like the ones at our centre-based respite care. Short-term respite that involves gardening can have a great impact on overall well-being and independence.
Choice and control
Through the support of community respite care services, clients can spend time in the garden just to enjoy the look, feel and smells of the outdoors, known as sensory gardening, or to grow vegetables and herbs used in fresh meals, known as productive gardening. At our centres, all gardening tools, equipment and plants are provided for clients to work together in the garden and take pride in the space they cultivate. Clients can choose to do all kinds of gardening activities - from decorating pots and planting seeds to weeding, raking the garden beds and removing leaf litter. Some activities will help individuals maintain their homes and gardens, while other activities will focus more on social engagement and stimulating the mind.
Community respite