The problem

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many retirement communities were shut off from the outside world to protect their susceptible communities. While this seclusion was important during the periods of high transmission and outbreaks, it is also difficult for the retirees who no longer have the social interactions they may need. This seclusion has continued into 2023, where many retirement communities do not have outside groups working with them. 

The educational program response

The Northern Kentucky Master Gardener Volunteers have an ongoing program with the Colonial Heights and Colonial Gardens retirement communities in Florence Kentucky. With this programming, Master Gardeners interact and garden with retirees at the retirement center, as well as bring flower arrangements grown at the Boone County Extension Nature Center. Members of the Colonial Gardens community have also come to the Boone County Extension Office, where they were given a guided tour of the grounds and gardens. 

The participants/target audience

Retirees at the Colonial Heights and Gardens communities. 

Other partners (if applicable)

None

Program impact or participant response.

This ongoing partnership between the Boone County Extension Service and Colonial Heights and Gardens retirement community allows the retirees to interact with the outside world and also helps them to continue gardening through medical conditions. In a recent tour of the Extension Office Gardens, ten of eleven participants said that they had been avid gardeners in the past. One participant said that she had gardened in the past, but was not an avid gardener. Participants were very happy with the program and talked at great length of growing these plants within their own gardens, their loved ones growing these plants, and also how they appreciated being talked directly to, rather than talked down to. Two days after the Colonial Gardens tour, Colonial Heights reached out to set up a tour for their community.