Nature and Natter offers support
13 Feb 2025Our Nature and Natter program is continuing to give those in our community living with dementia, and their carers, an opportunity to connect at Barossa Bushgardens.
Offering hands-on experience working with soil and plants, providing meaningful activity, improving self-esteem and creating opportunity for social connections, participants also help produce nursery tubestock which is then donated to local schools, churches and other not-for-profit groups.
So when external funding for the nursery-based program came to an end last year, Council recognised the initiative's value and stepped in to ensure it continued, at least until the end of this financial year.
For Ina Huppatz, whose husband Michael is a regular at Nature and Natter, it is welcome news.
"This program has been so beneficial for my husband during his dementia journey," said Ina.
"He looks forward to coming on Mondays and enjoys feeling like he is being useful and he has a purpose.
He sees that he is achieving something worthwhile and the social connections for him and myself are invaluable.
New faces are always welcome to the sessions held on Mondays between 10am and 12 noon.
Come along and meet our Disability Support Officers, Reta and Arthur and Barossa Bushgardens volunteers, Lyn and Jeanette and enjoy a lovely morning out and about!
If you would like more information, please call Kim Thompson on 0476 781 936 or email kthompson@barossa.com.au.
Visit Nature and Natter Program | Barossa Bushgardens to download the handbook.