(Chelsea Update would like to thank Sharon Kegerreis for the information in this story.)
Under the shade of the big Twin Oak alongside Chelsea Senior Center (CSC), young campers from Camp Gabika engaged with senior members for a fun, sensory garden experience. This interactive play between generations is at the very core of CSC’s focus on intergenerational connections.
Lindsay Smith, CSC’s Intergenerational program counselor, created the sensory experience that tapped into smell first, followed by sight and touch senses. Cleverly, she tucked fragrant herbs below cotton balls in little Dixie cups. CSC’s Ease the Day adult day program friends and Camp Gabika kids smelled their herb cups. Then, the kids ran over to the older adults to match their herb scents. Once matches were made, the freshly picked garden herbs were revealed: mint, thyme and chive.
Heaping plates of the herbs were then passed around for visual recognition.
Afterward, the kids gathered amid the adults to stir herbs in water-filled cups using small branches and add additional scents of lemon and ginger. Some exclaimed that the combined smells worked with a “thumbs up” while others reacted to the pungency.
Beyond this sensory experience, activities have occurred directly in the garden and hoop house two times a week since June. Camp kids and CSC garden volunteers have teamed up to identify bugs and plants, dissect seeds and guess “mystery plants” growing from seeds sown by the kids in June.
Smith manages the program connections between CSC and Camp Gabika, the summer-long camp of Chelsea School District. She works closely with Master Gardener Allison Rullman who is the lead volunteer of CSC’s Trinh Pifer Intergenerational Garden. Together, they create engaging activities for kids in kindergarten to 5th grades. The activities are planned so that CSC’s garden volunteers and CSC’s Ease the Day friends can assist and share in the fun.
Ease the Day is CSC’s respite program for caregivers. The adult day program that is onsite at CSC provides a safe space for caregivers to leave their older adult loved ones on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday each week, affording them a much-needed break. The program gives loved ones the opportunity to engage in conversation, movement, art, music and gardening for enriching experiences with peers.
Katie Garvey, Ease the Day’s Respite Care coordinator, loves the opportunity to integrate programming with Gabika. “Spending time with young children has tremendous health benefits for older adults,” says Garvey. “Our friends’ faces light up and smiles abound. So often, there are limited opportunities for these age ranges to interact with each other in our busy, mobile community. Older generations have the patience and experience to appreciate and delight in the children’s curiosity and energy.”
Smith is planning several more activities that connect Camp Gabika with CSC’s ETD friends. Creating a fairy garden, experiencing additional sensory activities and creating lasting art for year-round garden interest are a few of the activities.
Smith’s education in Natural Resources and Biology is the foundation for her passion for the natural world. Her field work experience in habitat restoration for Save the Bay in northern California, aiding nesting birds for the U.S. Forest Service in Colorado and teaching nature programs in Michigan State Parks for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources gives her plenty of inspiration for keeping Camp Gabika and CSC’s ETD friends engaged in various hands-on activities.
“Once you get people engaged with nature, they start wanting to take care of it. Our garden is the perfect place for kids and seniors to do just that. Together, we enjoy the outdoors, explore the plants and animals we host, and harvest the fruits of our labor,” says Smith.
Contact Chelsea Senior Center to volunteer in the garden and learn more about Ease the Day.
Chelsea Senior Center (CSC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization in Chelsea, Michigan. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life and well-being for area seniors and their families. Chelsea Senior Center is located at 512 Washington St. Contact CSC at connected@chelseaseniors.org or (734) 475-9242.
