Gardening is good for body, mind and spirit, and VA gardening opportunities help Veterans dig deep in support of their Whole Health. Veterans nationwide are benefitting from gardening programs that allow them to move the body, connect with peers, prepare healthy foods and improve their overall sense of well-being.
Army Veteran David Jedrzejewski lost his pride after a stroke affected his mobility. As a patient at Robley Rex VA in Louisville, Kentucky, Jedrzejewski reluctantly joined other Veterans to help construct and plant garden beds under the guidance of Recreation Therapy.
“I had a bad attitude. I hated everybody around me. I wouldn’t communicate with anybody. I’m outside and thinking, ‘What am I doing here?’ I can do nothing. I wanted to cry,” Jedrzejewski said.
However, when Jedrzejewski noticed some rocks on the ground, he thought they could be used to build a border. Using his walker, he slowly began to collect and place the rocks and, over a couple of weeks, he created a 14-foot border. He began to feel like he had a purpose again. It gave him a reprieve from his emotional pain and built his strength. And now, “I enjoy working in the garden. It gives me satisfaction to make something out of dirt and seed,” he shared. “They trusted me with all these flower beds, all the black dirt, the flower seeds and everything. You don’t know how that makes you feel. It’s unbelievable. That feeling. The joy you get back in life, the enthusiasm you got back in life. It just gave me so much. I don’t know how to say thank you, but that’s what I’m trying to say—thank you.”
Away from the screen and into the garden
As a Whole Health partner, Army Veteran Peter Steciow encourages Veterans to garden as a way to unplug.
“Today, we lead very stressful lives with many hours at our electronic devices. Gardening provides a way to get out and enjoy the green, the birds, the sounds and smells of nature, and get our hands in the dirt—which has been proven to be therapeutic. You know you are getting good food,” Steciow said.
Steciow has 65 years of experience in growing food. He volunteers at Cincinnati VA, where Veterans work together to prepare healthy meals with the harvest. The facility provides the “garden-to-table” experience, offering classes in both growing food and cooking it. “The garden offers amazing tasting produce and a diversion from pain, and socialization with many wonderful Veterans, which promotes hope.”
Gardening is good for your body, improves sleep, creates social connections and boosts your mood. As a low-impact form of exercise, working in the garden improves muscle and bone strength, flexibility and heart health. Enjoying the fruits and veggies of your labor adds fiber and nutrients to your diet. Being outside in the sunshine boosts your immune system and improves sleep. A community garden can offer connection, which helps with feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Many VA health care facilities offer gardening programs, including LaSalle VA Clinic in Illinois, Honor VA Clinic in Kansas and West Los Angeles VAMC in California. Contact your local facility to find out about gardening and Whole Health offerings near you.
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This is awesome! VA New Orleans, Louisiana needs to consider this program. Gardening is work but the payoff of eating what you stop the bugs from eating is undescribable. Gardening for me has many benefits, like going outside when I don’t want to because the plants need me and I must check on the bugs and a sense of purpose. Saving money s huge plus. You don’t need a backyard a window that gets sunlight most of the day is okay for many plants. When the VA starts this program must be a part in it.
My name is Gregory a Howard
I let my card for accessing VA benefits run out,
but i believe that I can update it anytime, I had to quit going a few years ago, because the VA medicines had gotten too high for me, so I had to start getting my medication through my regular doctor and then the pharmacy, but I am needing hearing aids, and I hear there are some nice ones out there, is it possible for me to get them through the VA without it being a conflict with medicare, I can’t get enough coverage through medicare or the supplemental insurance that is required for me to use medicare,
I am a Veteran and big into gardening and gardening techniques. It’s a beautiful place to connect, lowers my blood pressure, and is good for my anxiety. A plus is healthy whole foods to cook and eat. I would love to get a group of veterans together to garden here in central Texas.
It is wonderful to have this affirmation….we have plans for a homeless veterans community to provide 30-35 veterans a chance to improve their skills on everyday living, social work with help from you, crafts, computer classes, Waubonsee College cclasses. and much more. We work with the Obama Initiative to provide raised garden areas, and Freight Farms to obtain a 50′ cargo unit for inside gardening to supply our veterans and the community with pantry fresh greens. We need your help.
We’ve had a veterans garden for 15 years started out with about 20 people now we’re down to 2. It has been a godsend for most of us ,the others had to quit because of health reasons. We have a garden in Wisconsin Milwaukee at kole farms. It has helped me a great deal with my PTSD. Right now my wife and one other veteran helps out. This year the other veteran had cancer or the bladder and had it removed cannot work anymore at least this year. Thanks for reading Paul.
I have a huge back yard and a garden when ever i feel up to it and work
on it every chance i get, its my self therapy its like being in another planet..
sometimes frustration sets in because of my disabilities..