CINCINNATI — A group that helps Ohioans with memory issues and their caregivers is teaming up with Cincinnati’s Civic Garden Center to offer a program that’s planting the seeds to a more fulfilling life.

What You Need To Know

• The program is called Nurturing the Mind and looks at plants from around the world


• The Civic Garden Center and the Center for Memory Support and Inclusion at Episcopal Retirement Services created the program 


• The program is free and open to people with memory issues and their caregivers

“Gardening is the great equalizer so everybody can experience joy getting their hands dirty, and interacting with plants,” said Mary Dudley, ecology education manager at the Civic Garden Center. “We thought a program for people with memory issues and their loved ones was a perfect fit for us to bring more of our neighbors into our space and welcome them.”

The program’s one part strolling through the garden along with some classroom instruction and then filling up a pot, and planting seeds they can take home.

“We designed this series to be hands-on to be educational and also build on the previous experiences of our participants,” Dudley said. “They can remember some of those wonderful interactions they’ve had with cooking, growing plants, and maybe some of the travels that they’ve had in their lives.”   

“You can keep learning forever,” said Shannon Braun, the director of the Center for Memory Support and Inclusion at Episcopal Retirement Services. “Remaining purposeful and learning about plants and fostering a good relationship with plants in our community is really important.”

“I like programs like this because number one, I’m a lifelong learner and I love gardening,” said Bob Owen, a program participant, who comes to each session along with his wife, Brandy.  

“A lot of people in these programs have dementia of one sort or the other, as do I, and it’s a chance to get out and see things and socialize,” Owen said.

“When there is sometimes some cognitive impairment, using a lot of your senses is really important,” said Braun. “Tactile activities, picking up paper, gluing it, getting your hands dirty and creating and planting all that stuff is really valuable and helps piece altogether the information and all the other learning that’s happening.”

“My mother has dementia, so these programs that are being put on that are free are fabulous,” said Pierre Leavell, another regular who brings his mother, Vivian Leavell. “It gives us an opportunity to get out into the community with people who have like illnesses and to be able to work together to have our loved ones enjoy some activities they wouldn’t be able to do.”

“It’s really important for brain health to stay active, stay engaged and remain social,” Braun said. “Offering these programs for people and their care partners is so valuable.”