Senior residents and staff joined together to brighten the grounds of Spring Hills Mt. Vernon Assisted Living at their Community Garden Party. Planting an assortment of flowers such as roses, irises, daisies and more, this celebration is part of the Spring Hills Care Flowers program, a successful tool for care partners and family members of Spring Hills residents. This program helped everyone appreciate the abilities each resident possesses and to consciously avoid negative languages or overtones as gardening can reduce the risk for multiple health issues and reduce social isolation. Each flower used in this program had a special meaning (see below). After the flowers were planted, everyone celebrated at a traditional barbecue with hot dogs, burgers, lemonade, watermelon, ice cream sundaes and more.
Care Flowers Meaning:
Iris: Like the long stemmed flower, the iris person will always walk in a straight line or lean to one side. They may be unable to coordinate speech but can sing almost anything with rhythm. Fine motor skills are usually missing as well and they may have difficulty with tasks that require these skills. The care team should always have a familiar song with rhythm up their sleeve!
Daisy: Caught in the moment of time, for the daisy it’s all about sensation. The person may have sensory needs and/or sensory tolerances. When experiencing low sensory needs, the person may display behaviors such as humming, rubbing of hands, waving, wiping furniture or picking lint from clothing. When the person is experiencing high sensory needs, some may display behaviors such as clenching of their teeth. This is often mistaken for aggression. The person may also be observed pushing chairs, moving things around, or stomping feet, which often times expresses an unmet need. The care team should determine the unmet need.
Violet: Violets are people on the go, and something is always brewing. They will constantly need to do things. They are known to say things like “Where do I go now?” “I need to go home,” “What do I do?” This person needs concrete choices, usually verbal but sometimes visual. Just keep them busy.
Rose: Roses don’t like change and they are strong willed and like routine. They will use old habits to get through the day. They can “talk a good game” and always want to know who is in charge. They are also very territorial. Provide routine, choice and keep them informed.
Morning Glory: Like the flower, morning glories are fully open in the morning, but curl up and close during the warm parts of the day. This person’s environment is limited and often trapped inside a shell that is the mind, in a moment in time. The morning glory flower signifies love, affection and mortality. We must use sincerity in our voice, a soft sweet tone, and touch when communicating with this person. Always approach from the front and always smile.
About Spring Hills Mt. Vernon Assisted Living:
Spring Hills Mount Vernon, located at 3709 Shannons Green Way in Alexandria, provides premier assisted living and memory care with the finest amenities in the Northern Virginia/Washington, DC, area. For additional information visit www.springhillsmountvernon.com.
About Spring Hills Senior Communities & Poet’s Walk Memory Care Communities:
All Spring Hills Senior Communities’, Home Care Services, Assisted Living Communities and Poet’s Walk Memory Care Communities offer a distinctive and innovative approach to home care services, assisted living, and Alzheimer’s care as led by Alex Markowits, President/CEO. Signature Touches is the company’s holistic approach to offering individualized care and services that are designed to meet the needs and preferences of residents and clients. Personal choice is top priority in one of the company’s eight Spring Hills assisted living communities or in client’s homes with Spring Hills home care services located in NJ, VA, OH and FL, or in one of the company’s Poet’s Walk memory care communities located in TX and soon-to-be NV. For more information about their Caring with a Commitment to Quality dedication to senior living, visit www.springhills.com or www.poetswalk-springhills.com.