http://designforgenerations.com ... Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:33:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/signs-of-spring/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/signs-of-spring/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:33:27 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=841 The midpoint of winter is marked by one of our favorite animal friends – the groundhog.  This hibernating creature has been immortalized in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day.”  In the movie, Bill Murray relives Groundhog Day over and over, for approximately 42 days (it is actually only 36 days by some estimates).  Punxsutawney Phil, the [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/signs-of-spring/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/sunflowers-an-essential-part-of-every-therapeutic-garden/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/sunflowers-an-essential-part-of-every-therapeutic-garden/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:45:02 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=837 Hopefully spring will not be that far off.  Thoughts are already turning to the garden and what to plant this year.  I’m thinking that this may truly be the year of the sunflower.  Reading about all of their virtues – it’s surprising that we do not plant more of them in our gardens. The sunflower [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/sunflowers-an-essential-part-of-every-therapeutic-garden/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/community-gardens-for-the-entire-community/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/community-gardens-for-the-entire-community/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:49:37 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=829 Why not take the idea of community gardens and apply it to the entire community?  The town of Todmorden in the UK has created a program where gardens have been started throughout the town and are being used to feed the entire town.  The concept is ‘brilliant’. Think about having garden in everyone’s yard.  You [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/community-gardens-for-the-entire-community/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/vitamin-d-exposure-to-sunlight-for-elders/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/vitamin-d-exposure-to-sunlight-for-elders/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:51:26 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=825 It is important to remember that Vitamin D deficiency is under treated for elders.  Many older adults spend more time indoors and have inadequate intake of Vitamin D.  While Vitamin D supplements are part of the solution; most people meet at least some of their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight.   Vitamin D is [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/vitamin-d-exposure-to-sunlight-for-elders/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/top-10-gifts-for-gardeners-and-people-who-just-like-being-outside/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/top-10-gifts-for-gardeners-and-people-who-just-like-being-outside/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:02:43 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=818 1. Maine Weather Stick is a natural barometer that helps tell if it is going to rain or will be sunny – Kinsman Company http://www.kinsmanwholesale.com/ ($6.95) 2.Paper Pot Maker tool to roll old newspapers into seed pots (#38-636) – Gardener’s Supply www.Gardeners.com ($19.95) 3. Subscription to a garden magazine, i.e. Garden Gate, Organic Gardening, Garden [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/top-10-gifts-for-gardeners-and-people-who-just-like-being-outside/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/bird-songs-garden-therapy/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/bird-songs-garden-therapy/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:52:48 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=806 Have you ever sat outside and wondered what the name of the bird is that is singing?    Why not try downloading the “Chirp! Bird Songs USA+” App from the iTunes store.  You can start with the birds you may hear in your yard such as, Robins, Cardinals, and House Finch.  Listen to their songs [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/bird-songs-garden-therapy/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/therapeutic-garden-care-and-maintenance/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/therapeutic-garden-care-and-maintenance/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:54:41 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=802 One of the questions asked at the end of a lecture at the Leading Age Conference involved the maintenance of a Therapeutic Garden.  The person asked if these gardens require more to maintain than other gardens.  They were interested in reducing on- going maintenance in a garden.  The simple answer is that all gardens require [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/therapeutic-garden-care-and-maintenance/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/leaf-walks-therapy-in-nature/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/leaf-walks-therapy-in-nature/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 02:24:01 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=797 This is the time of year to check out leaf colors.  During the day today, I had to slow down to take in all of the colors along the roadside. One of the first trees to turn in this region are the Black Gum trees with their red and magenta hues.  Sassafras are a particular [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/leaf-walks-therapy-in-nature/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/paw-paw-fruit/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/paw-paw-fruit/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:24:44 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=790 This is paw paw season.  The fruit is native to the US and grows wild in the eastern half of the country.  It can be found along river banks and other areas in the wild.  However, it is becoming more common.  The paw paw fruit is being grown commercially and can be found in some [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/paw-paw-fruit/feed/ 0 http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/gardening-closer-to-where-we-live/ http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/gardening-closer-to-where-we-live/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:56:40 +0000 Jack Carman, FASLA http://designforgenerations.com/?p=786 Reading an article in the paper yesterday made me think about how we have been expanding our vegetable gardens and reducing the size of the lawn.  The article talks about how residential developments are being planned around working farms.  Well, how about re-thinking your yard to consider the whole area as a garden?!?  Why limit [...]]]> http://designforgenerations.com/aging-in-place/gardening-closer-to-where-we-live/feed/ 0