The Therapeutic Garden

This morning, it was with some trepidation, I went to visit my mother in the   Care Home. On my arrival  she declared she was bored up to  her neck, although  she seemed to have been participating in many more activities, including a coach trip into the countryside, than she would  have done in her own home. She readily agreed to taking a walk with me in the garden where we inspected the green shoots of bulbs coming up, discussing what they might be, listened to the birdsong, and  admired the  winter flowering shrubs, including this Hamamelis. I decided to talk only about matters in the here and now, (rather than what or my sisters   had been doing) and though difficult to maintain it did seem to help her stay calm. She  related  a couple of her old stories,  which is always  a sign she is feeling fairly relaxed. At lunch  time we said good bye, without any fuss, and I said  I would  visit again  on Wednesday, when her new GP is scheduled to call. I felt  mightily  relieved when I left, and although I don't expect plain sailing from now on, it feels as if we are making some progress!