The Senior Community Garden at the DeWitt Center

There are many senior citizens in our counties who live in senior housing, apartments, and other homes that lack outdoor space for gardening. They do not have the opportunity to experience the numerous benefits that gardening offers in the form of physical, mental, and emotional exercise.  In 1987, a Senior Community Garden was created at the Dewitt Center in Auburn through a cooperative effort between the County of Placer and the University of California Cooperative Extension.  The location was close to the Multipurpose Senior Center and therefore provided a convenient outdoor space for seniors to gather, garden, and socialize.  Over the years, the site produced food, fun, and friends for seniors in the community; however, more recently, it became evident that the garden space had some major drawbacks for the seniors that resulted in decreased participation over time.

What Was Done

    In 2005, the decision was made to re-locate the Senior Community Garden to a more appropriate site within the Dewitt Center to enhance the design, accessibility, and feel of the garden . The year-long process took planning and persistence; in June 2006, the new Senior Community Garden opened with a ceremonial groundbreaking.  Throughout the 2007 gardening season, additional enhancements to the garden, such as fruit and ornamental tree plantings, have been made. The site has "grown" into a thriving social center for the senior gardeners and it continues to provide an area where seniors feel safe and productive.

Impact

In a recent survey, senior gardeners were asked about their satisfaction with the new garden site.
77% reported that they were "Very Satisfied" with the new site location and parking.
85% reported that they were "Very Satisfied" with the facility in general.
100% of senior gardeners felt the new site was "Much Improved" over the previous site.