Health & Fitness
Marblehead Chamber of Commerce Holds Ribbon Cutting for the new Horticultural Therapy Program at the Lafayette Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facility
July 25, 2013 – Marblehead, MA – The Marblehead Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors held a ribbon cutting at the Lafayette Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facility to welcome the new Horticultural Therapy program. The Ribbon cutting took place on Wednesday, July 24 at 4pm.
The Lafayette is a 65-bed family-based facility that provides long-term and rehabilitative care with a combination of expert clinical skills and a caring, dedicated staff. Most recently, Lafayette Administrator George Barbuzzi started “Good To Grow,” a Horticultural Therapy program designed to create purposeful activities for residents at the facility.
Find out what's happening in Marbleheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Lisa Biggio, LSW, a Marblehead resident and Certified Horticultural Therapist was the brainchild behind the idea of the “Good To Grow” program when she brought the idea to Barbuzzi, who immediately embraced it.
Find out what's happening in Marbleheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“The “Good To Grow” program is already seeing strong results,” said Mr. George Barbuzzi, Administrator of the Lafayette. “We join a growing number of healthcare facilities that are embracing gardening as part of our treatment program. At the Lafayette, we are always looking for ways to enrich the lives of our residents, help them interact more and lead more meaningful fuller lives.”
Funding of the program was made possible through generous family donations and revenue raised through the annual AdventCare Golf Tournament. Ms. Biggio uses these financial resources as well as ingenuity to run 10 resident class sessions per week at all levels of interest and ability.
Visitors can view the greenhouse box, created by the Men’s Group, and the newly designed garden patio to enjoy the summer planting and harvest activities. “Good To Grow” is a creative and important program that is allowing residents to enjoy planting while interacting, learning and improving their cognitive and physical skills.
For more information about the “Good To Grow” program, call The Lafayette at (781) 631-4535, or visit their website at www.thelafayette.net.
