The Role of Horticulture Therapy, Faith, and Structured Routines in Mitigating Depression Among Geriatric Nursing Home Residents: Observations from a Catholic-Based Facility

October 2026 | Vol. 70, No. 3
By Heidi Elnathan, OMS-IV, PCOM and Venice Saintilus, OMS-IV, PCOM

Nursing homes have a higher prevalence of depression due to social isolation, loss of independence, and feelings of worthlessness. Although this is a common issue throughout the United States, we saw how one Catholic-based nursing home used horticulture therapy to help alleviate these issues. Over the span of a year, we regularly interviewed the nuns living at this nursing home to observe how this project affected their mood and cognition. Horticulture therapy, defined as the use of plant-based activities to enhance physical and mental well-being, was complemented by the facility's community structure and spiritual focus, all of which contributed to improved quality of life among the residents.

Relevance

October 2026 | Vol. 70, No. 3
By Frank M. Tursi, DO, POMA's 100th President 

The following is a transcript of an address delivered by Frank M. Tursi, DO, POMA's 100th president, to the POMA House of Delegates, first published in the June 2011 issue of The Journal of the POMA.

While contemplating a topic to coincide with my being the 100th president of POMА, I decided on the topic of relevance. I wanted to consider some prior Erie POMA presidents and their relevance to both me and to POMA.

The dictionary describes relevance as having meaning/being pertinent or important to an issue or goal.

For today, I am not talking about personal relevance, but rather that of an organization. I am talking about professional/organizational relevance, more particularly, relevance as it pertains to POMA.

All professions go through three phases. There is the survival/foothold phase, the acceptance and growth phase, and then the decisive strengthening or disintegrative phase.