"I’m growing veggies again thanks to the Virtual Social Centre"

As a keen gardener, Janet Carbone used to spend countless hours tending plants and vegetables on her country property in Raglan, Victoria. But in recent years, the 67-year-old has regretfully had to put her passion on hold due to back pain and other health issues.

“The older you get, the harder it gets,” says Janet. “And the weeds are getting tougher I reckon!”

It wasn’t until a support team member from our Virtual Social Centre (VSC) called Janet to tell her about an upcoming session on Vegepods that she saw a glimmer of hope. Because Janet had already participated in previous sessions hosted by the VSC - an online community for seniors - she was easily able to join the virtual Vegepod event on her computer.

During the session, Janet learnt all about the innovative raised garden beds that would allow her to grow delicious veggies without having to bend over. “It looked really good and I thought, ‘Oh, that would be great for my back!’”

Janet had chosen the large Vegepod, measuring two metres by one metre, to maximise her veggie-growing capacity. “My gardeners helped me put 440 litres of soil in it,” she says. “One of the gardeners sat down with me to plan my garden and measure it out in centimetre markings. He said, ‘This is what you need to do to get it right.’”

A renewed love of gardening

Once her Vegepod and garden plan were ready to go, Janet planted purple garlic, cauliflower, eggplant, spicy basil, beans, beetroot and purple broccoli. “The Vegepod fits a lot and it has a lid, so I don’t have pests,” she explains. “The seeds need more water than full-grown plants do, so I’ve been giving them water for about five minutes a day. Some of the veggies are starting to shoot already. It’s so easy to use - I’m really, really impressed with it.”

Janet also loves the fact that the Vegepod protects her veggies from the elements. “The most frustrating thing when you’re planting is to go out and find that an animal has been in and eaten it all,” she says. “And the other night we had a frost, but because the lid protects it so much, I didn't need to rush out and put a cloth over it.”

With all the joy the Vegepod has brought her, Janet highly recommends it to other seniors who would like to garden but struggle to for various reasons. “I'm very pleased with it and I think others will be as well,” she says. “They don’t need to get a big one like mine. There’s one that’s half the size and some of them have wheels if you want to move them around. You can even have one on your balcony or verandah.”

Ready to find your passion?

Countless seniors like Janet have found their passion through the VSC. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to join the VSC as a part of your Home Care Package, Commonwealth Home Support Program, Short Term Restorative Care or other funding. 

Alternatively, you can join the Virtual Social Centre privately, regardless of your circumstance.

To find out more and discuss your options, click here.