Last year, Shaker High School students met with Eddy Village Green staff to begin developing a product that could be helpful to the elderly. Two weeks ago, the final product, a Hydroponic Garden, was donated to Eddy Village Green.
The students are members of the Shaker Engineering Capstone Course, taught by Kevin Smith. The course is designed to provide real-world experience to students who are interested in pursuing careers in education. Teams of students addressed an engineering challenge of their own choosing. The teams completed abstracts, justification papers, and prototypes.
Last week, students presented their final summary and a demonstration of the prototype. Two of the student teams addressed an engineering challenge relevant to senior care, senior living, and The Eddy. Their solutions aim to assist elders in both physical and mental engagement.
One student team created a project titled, “Dual Purpose Hydroponic Infused Garden System for the Elderly.” A hydroponic garden is a garden that uses water, nutrients, and usually a medium such as gravel or clay pellets. In addition to providing fresh produce year round, the wheelchair-accessible garden will provide meaningful tasks for the elderly, allow seniors to retain some of their independence. The garden aims to increase Eddy Village Green elders’ mental and physical stimulation.
The second student team created a tablet-based program that would include scavenger hunts, trivia questions about family and friends, interactive trivia, rewards, and QR codes. The software would promote mental stimulation and physical activity.
Eddy Village Green at Cohoes opened in 2008 as the first Green House model nursing home in New York state. It offers an innovative approach designed to improve care and quality of life for senior residents.
Eddy Village Green at Cohoes is based on The Green House Project concept of care first conceived by Dr. Bill Thomas, a Harvard-trained and nationally renowned geriatrician. The Green House model offers high quality care and has proven to improve quality of life for elders with less depression, greater dignity, more privacy, and meaningful engagement and relationships.
Click here for more information on Eddy Village Green.
