Type Of Business:
Healthcare Center, Skilled Nursing Home
Expertise:
Ms. D'Andrea's expertise is in horticultural therapy.
Major Product/SVS:
Healthcare Including Geriatric Medicine and Short-Term Rehabilitation, Long-Term Independent Living, Day Care Center, Dementia Care Center
Favorite Business Publication:
Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture
Hobbies/Sports:
Attending Theater Productions, Watching Broadway Shows and Movies, Exercising, Gardening
Education Degrees:
Master of Science in Recreation Education, Lehman College (2000); Bachelor of Science in Recreation Education, Minor in Clinical Psychology, Lehman College (1997); Coursework in Clinical Psychology, Universidad de Pedro Enriquez Urena
Affiliations Awards:
New York Chapter, Alzheimer's Association; Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center; American Horticultural Therapy Association; The New York Botanical Garden; Metropolitan New York Parks and Recreation; American Cosmetology Association; American Therapeutic Recreation Association
Place of Birth:
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
What do you feel separates you from the rest of the professionals in your industry?:
Ms. D'Andrea's passion for helping other people and belief that therapeutic recreation as well as horticultural therapy helps to restore and maintain cognitive physical and emotional functions for a longer period of time are what separates her from her peers.
What has been the most outstanding thing you have done thus far in your career?:
Ms. D'Andrea's greatest career achievements were obtaining her master and bachelor degrees in America while being of Spanish descent and having her manuscript entitled 'Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Preventing the Decline of Mental Abilities of Patients with Alzheimer's Type Dementia' published in the American Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture in the 2007 edition.
Expanded Biography:
What Do We Do with These People?
Let's Use the Healing Gardens!
Submitted by Soma J. D'Andrea, CTRS, HTR.
Although horticulture therapy is a young profession, it is built on a concept as old and ancient as the pyramids. Each of us who marveled at a beautiful flower, or have taken pride in growing a perfect plant, have experienced these founding principles that gave rise to horticultural therapy. There's a special connection between plants, people and natural surroundings. The therapist who is a horticulture specialist uses these realities as non-threatening ways to introduce therapy and rehabilitation.
Horticultural therapy is a process through which plants, gardening activities, and the innate closeness we feel toward nature are used as vehicles in professionally conducted programs of therapy and rehabilitation. It is used for stimulating patients: physically and mentally in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and prisons as well as facilities for blind, visually impaired, developmentally aid physically disabled people. Horticulture and gardening programs abound in public vocational schools, day camps, senior and community centers as well as urban housing, developments. The special textures of leaves, stems, flowers, and soil provide effective sensory stimulation. The same is true of plants' fragrances and tastes. Because blind and visually impaired people can't fully appreciate a colorful bed of flowering annuals, textures and scents stimulate those senses not impaired. Active use of herbs, spices, and dried materials can be important stimuli for blind and partially sighted people.
Gardening and horticultural therapy groups can provide seniors moderate exercise and fresh air, plus the oxygen given off by plants can be stimulating. Planting seeds or transplanting seedlings strengthens fine motor skills. Activities such as digging and raking involve gross motor skills. Gardening at advanced age can also have important spiritual benefits. Working with plants brings people closer to the mysteries of growth and development, as mentioned before. The experience with nature can have powerful spiritual values and pleasure, which call happen regardless o[ the persons' religion, language or heritage. We do not need to speak any language, just look, smell and wonder how beautiful they are.
"Demented individuals respond the same way as anybody else to gardening sessions. The whole person is stimulated by the color, smell and taste of nature, they also seem to remain functioning physically and mentally for a longer period of time than other residents engaged ill other activities". (S. D'Andrea 2000).
"The demented patients in nursing homes and special care units that are involved in some gardening activities and others on unit groups tend to have less falls, maintain their mental functioning and sense of well being for a longer period of time in comparison with other patients that are not involved." (S.D'Andrea, 2000).
Ever-increasing numbers of people with dementia are entering professional care settings and creating a sense of urgency among caregivers. Even though there's no simple right answer to how caregivers meet the needs of people with dementia, it is clear that active maintenance is the way that will make our dementia units and psychiatric behaviors more manageable. Even when these people come from different cultural ethnic and religious backgrounds and have had many different life experiences, they still seem to benefit from some relationship with nature.
The Saul Unit / Dementia Special Care Center of the Jewish Home and Hospital Lifecare System (Bronx Division) has a Horticultural Therapy Program, which started 8 years ago. This program provides an opportunity for some of our residents to remain active by growing plants and tending gardens, indoors and outdoors. During the cold winter weather, we make nature-related greeting cards. The Alzheimer's and other related dementia patients who live in our Special Care Unit and their families, friends and staff gain pleasure by coming to our garden and are able to be close to nature. We make cards related to every special holiday. We dry our own flowers and leaves and make crafts and wreaths related to nature.
Highlight of career?:
The most gratifying aspect of her career is improving her patients' quality of life using horticulture.
Charity:
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts; New York University Langone Medical Center
Number Of Years In Profession:
21
Number Of Years In Current Position:
11
What Does He/She Attribute Success To:
She attributes her success to her passion for her profession.
How Did They Get Involved In Profession:
She became involved in her profession through a natural progression of opportunities.
Extended Bio Profile:
Ms. D'Andrea wrote an article entitled 'What Do We Do With These People?' Her Hispanic background helps her deal with her native Spanish speaking residents in a comprehensive way, as they are sometimes misunderstood and often classified as being agitated and demented by other healthcare workers who do not understand them.
She continues to bring innovative programs such as aromatherapy sessions and virtual mind games to keep her residents mentally stimulated. Ms. D'Andrea spends her free time obtaining additional certifications in order to provide better care for her residents and conducts research to determine if dementia patients can learn how to use the computer. She was also an elementary school teacher for 10 years.
Day to Day Responsibilities:
Working with Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients
Education Certifications:
Licensed Cosmetologist; Nationally Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist; Registered Horticultural Therapist