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7 | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | JUNE 2014 | | Four Seasons Hemet Herald | JUNE 2014 | 8 Health Matters Alice W., a hospice patient of Arbor Hospice (formerly Inland Empire Hospice), grew up near Chicago having to deal with a tough family life and not having a lot of friends. The one thing Alice always loved was animals, particularly horses. While not able to own one, she looked for every opportunity to ride whenever she could. Alice, 78, is a long time resident of Meadowbrook Skilled Nursing Facility in Hemet, having suffered a stroke and right side paralysis. Living alone with no real friends and no family, Alice leads a lonely existence brightened only by her collection of stuffed animals and watching re-runs of her favorite TV show, "Lassie." Alice said, "I'm allergic to people but I love horses!" During a recent nursing visit, Arbor Hospice RN Case Manager Bridget C., and Social Worker Mark V. asked Alice what one thing would make her happy? Alice replied, "I want to be around horses!" The Social Worker then approached Arbor Hospice Business Development Representative Jennifer T., who lives in Temecula and owns several horses, about the possibility of having Alice visiting her horses. Jennifer thought it was a great idea and so the social worker contacted Premier Medical Transportation who donated their time and transported Alice to Jennifer's home for the big day. So on Wed., April 30, Alice got her wish (this was the first outing for Alice in several years); needless to say she was very excited. Once Alice got settled in her wheelchair, Jennifer introduced "Munchie," a 16-year-old miniature horse to Alice and it was love at first sight. With Jennifer and Mark's assistance, Alice got to feed Munchie carrots, got to pet him and even helped give him a haircut. Jennifer presented Alice with a pink cowgirl hat and told Alice she could come back anytime to visit and promised to bring her photos that were taken for her room. Alice's "Last Wish" was fulfilled due to the caring, professional staff at Arbor Hospice, a day Alice, and everyone who was there, will always remember. If you would like to submit a question please contact Jennifer Trebler at jtrebler@vnasocal.org. Little horse fulfills a big dream… Arbor HospICe pAtIent sees Her lAst wIsH Come true By Michael Sincoski In this column, I will be talking about preparing for summer gardening and landscape season. First, let's talk about watering. Regular inspection of your sprinkler nozzles is very important. Hard water deposits and normal wear and tear will change the spray pattern and coverage. Once you have inspected your system, you need to review your irrigation timer. Start times should be early in the morning before it gets too HOT! Here at Four Seasons, we have so many sprinklers that they start about 8 pm. This is so everything gets watered before pedestrian traffic starts. Try to keep the duration that your sprinklers are on shorter so that the water has time to sink in. Check to see that you don't have over-spray and your water is not running down the street. Residential irrigation is almost always potable water, so use it wisely. By using mulch, wherever possible, you will keep evaporation to a minimum. Pay close attention to your irrigation system and you will be rewarded. There are quite a few colorful plant species that are tolerant of the heat. Begonias, Dianthia Celosia, Cosmos, and Dusty Miller are heat-tolerant and will do well into the Fall. If you decide to plant any of these varieties, follow the planting instructions and remember to not plant the crown too deep. Keeping the ground moist, but not too wet, will give the plant material the best chance of a full season of enjoyment. Enjoy your garden and your landscaping. A little time and effort will go a long way and reward you with a nice diversion to this maddening world we live in. Ask the Gardner