Sheridan VA’s Home Based Primary Care brings gardening to Vets

A Whole Health approach grows into daily routines for homebound Veterans

Every morning, George Washington Brown checks on his garden, something that depends on him.

“It gives me something to care for,” said Brown, an Army Veteran. “Growing up, we had a vegetable farm. It is a great memory from my childhood.”

Brown is enrolled in Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), which serves Veterans with complex health needs at home. Like many, he spends much of his time indoors and has few opportunities for activities he once enjoyed.

“I’m growing lettuce, peppers, dill and sunflowers,” Brown said. “I enjoy harvesting the crops. My family helps me, and my daughter-in-law shares what I grow.”

Care rooted in daily life

HBPC teams visit Veterans to provide medical care and support. For many, these visits are their main connection to VA health care without needing to travel.

During those visits, staff began noticing a pattern.

“We would go into homes and hear stories about what Veterans used to do,” said Julie Jackson, program director. “But there was little talk about what they do now.”

These conversations shaped the team’s next steps.

“We identified the need for more stimulation and activities,” Jackson said. “We wanted something simple they could manage inside.”

A Whole Health approach takes shape

Jackson reached out to Sheridan VA’s Whole Health team for ideas. Whole Health Coordinator Tami Fleshman had been testing small indoor gardens in the Community Living Center.

“Most of our folks grew up gardening,” Fleshman said. “They still want to grow.”

Whole Health focuses on what matters most to Veterans, including daily routines, interests and environment. In this case, that meant finding something to care for at home.

The indoor gardens are small tabletop systems that use built-in lights and water to grow herbs, vegetables or flowers indoors, without soil.

“Tami asked if we wanted to try indoor gardens,” Jackson said. “Many of our Veterans said gardening brought them joy, so we jumped at the idea.”

The team ordered 20 indoor gardens. Veterans claimed all of them within three weeks.

Indoor gardens change the conversation

HBPC staff quickly noticed that the gardens changed the feel of home visits.

“When a staff member visits a home with a garden, they admire it first,” Jackson said. “Veterans are proud and eager to show them off.”

The gardens give Veterans something familiar to talk about and something they can follow day by day.

Patricia Lee Fox, an Army Veteran who served from 1974 to 1976, keeps two indoor gardens in her home.

“They make my home more beautiful,” Fox shared. “They make me happy and smile.”

She says the LED lights add warmth to her space, especially during Wyoming winters when going outside is difficult.

Shared routines support caregivers

The gardens have also become part of daily routines for caregivers.

Rosemary Carr cares for her husband, John Charles “Jack” Carr, an Air Force Veteran who served from 1954 to 1957.

“He keeps track of the plants’ needs and lets me know when to water or feed them,” Rosemary said. “We talk about what we want to grow next.”

The routine gives Jack something he manages on his own, while Rosemary enjoys brief breaks as they continue sharing the experience.

The response from Veterans quickly made the value clear.

“Every Veteran we gave a garden to has enjoyed it,” Jackson said. “They talk about and share them with others.”

Indoor gardens are now one of the options HBPC at Sheridan VA uses to support daily routines, observe changes over time, and help staff understand what daily life looks like outside of scheduled care.