Thrive Senior Living Partners with Eldergrow to Bolster Botanical Benefits for Residents

October 16, 2019

ATLANTA–Thrive Senior Living is making moves on the positive correlation between gardening and health. The industry leader is the first senior living company in Maryland to partner with Seattle-based Eldergrow to bring its indoor Sensory Garden and Therapeutic Horticulture programming to the residents of all of Thrive’s Tribute communities in the state.

Eldergrow, an award-winning startup, offers older adults a therapeutic connection to nature through innovative gardening products and programming. Studies show that horticultural therapy reduces depression, improves balance, coordination and endurance and can lower the risk factors for dementia by 36%. The presence of these gardens will also serve to enhance the mood and experience of families, visitors and locals who gather in the community to play, eat and connect.

The therapeutic sensory garden is designed for residents living in memory care. Eldergrow educators teach bimonthly therapeutic classes on gardening, garden art, culinary harvest and nature classes, designed to stimulate all five senses and give residents a renewed sense of purpose as they care for their garden.

Thrive also recently brought Eldergrow’s Culinary Herb Garden and Herb of the Month program to all of the company’s Tribute communities in Virginia. Through this program, residents receive monthly herb deliveries along with recipes and activities featuring the Herb of the Month – all while learning the benefits of incorporating herbs into their diets, countless new ways to use the fragrant botanicals and ways to take part in the flourishing farm-to-table movement.

“Eldergrow has put together something really special,” said Jacob Murray, Mid-Atlantic President of Thrive Senior Living. “So many older adults are active or former gardeners who swell with pride when they see the plants they grew beautify a space or give flavor to food served in our restaurants. We look forward to bringing Maryland residents the same opportunity to find joy and purpose in cultivating plants and human connection with the addition of Eldergrow.”

“Eldergrow’s indoor gardens allow older adults to connect with the healing benefits of nature and therapeutic horticulture by enabling residents to grow life,” adds Orla Concannon, Eldergrow’s founder and CEO.

Eldergrow’s indoor mobile gardens are handcrafted in Washington in partnership with a job training program for adults living with disabilities, including disabled veterans.

Thrive Senior Living designs, develops and operates innovative independent living, assisted living and memory care communities across the country with a fresh perspective on senior living. Headquartered in Atlanta, Thrive has been named a “2018 Best Workplaces for Aging Services” by Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE and a “Great Place to Work” by Activated Insights for two years in a row. The company currently operates communities in Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and the D.C. metro area.