Seniors in Puerto Palomas eagerly harvest the vegetables they grew in special elevated raised beds that our staff built so that they could garden.
Border Partners staff holds a monthly gathering for senior citizens in Puerto Palomas. The home-bound and isolated seniors to whom we deliver daily hot meals through our “Meals on Wheels” programming are invited to attend this social gathering. Each month’s event features health checks, a tasty, nourishing lunch, and an activity oriented to improving the physical or mental health of the attendees. The most recent gathering featured the activity for the seniors to harvest winter vegetables.
It’s important to note that last month’s senior social club event combined two of our organization’s ongoing commitments.
- We honored our commitment to improving access to fresh vegetables and produce in the community.
- And we combined that commitment with our long-standing dedication to improving the health and dignity of isolated seniors in Palomas.
Seniors Harvest Winter Vegetables
Here’s how we joined those two commitments:
We built special raised bed stands at our office property lot. We designed and constructed them for the seniors to use. These elevated garden beds allowed the elders to work the soil while standing. This accommodation allowed elders with limitations on their mobility and flexibility to enjoy the benefits of gardening.
Over the summer, the senior group helped us plant small gardens in those elevated raised beds. We wanted community members to benefit from these mini-gardens by harvesting the fresh vegetables and herbs the gardens produced. Over the past months, as the plants grew, the senior group has helped water and care for their gardens.
In December, it was time for the seniors to harvest winter vegetables. So, we hosted a harvest celebration for our senior social gathering. Each senior was able to pick the fresh vegetables from their plots. They each proudly took a bag home with them from the social.
At Border Partners, we do our utmost to assist this group of seniors to live with dignity and support in their later years. Many seniors in Puerto Palomas are without families or spouses to support them. This monthly senior social gathering, along with daily check-ins, is invaluable for the well-being of these elders. Working in the soil is a valuable, productive and even therapeutic activity for seniors. And they earn the pride of their accomplishment by their labor.
We remain committed to empowering the seniors of Puerto Palomas. We want to ensure they feel supported, valued, and connected every step of the way.