The rooftop at the Syracuse VA Medical Center has been the site of an outdoor garden that has been impacting the lives of veterans for more than 10 years.
SUNY ESF’s Therapeutic Horticulture Rooftop Garden program uses the connection between nature and health to benefit veterans, bringing students and faculty to help grow and maintain the garden alongside veterans. Daniel Collins, a PhD candidate in SUNY ESF’s Environmental Science department and the associate director for ESF in the High School was one of the founding members that helped launch the program. He said being able to see the impact of the program on the students is rewarding.
“There is such an increased awareness of accessibility,” Collins said. “Whether that is physical accessibility, so understanding how people who are mobility limited might access things differently, but also because we work with dementia care patients they also see that avenue.”
Suzanne Hawes, the lead recreation therapist at the Syracuse VA Medical Center said the impact on VA patients has also been very positive.
“They are seeing this entity right across the street from us come and help and build and develop and grow into something that is so significant that sometimes they don’t even believe it and see it,” Hawes said.
The garden and its activities are helping to improve the health and well-being of the patients, including their psychological outlook. Program co-founder, SUNY ESF’s Professor and Chair of Chemistry Lee Newman said the program always brings a smile to the students and patients.
“I might be having a really crappy day, but I go over there and I interact with people who really appreciate these programs and it really brightens their day to have us go over there and work with them and just do activities that are fun, things that they enjoy that are going to make them smile,” Newman said.
SUNY ESF also maintains gardens at Clear Path for Veterans.
