Gardening is popular among seniors and for good reason. It offers a fulfilling and accessible hobby that can improve their emotional and physical well-being.
For those so inclined, gardening allows seniors to contribute to environmental sustainability by growing some of their own food.
And yes, gardening counts as exercise and offers many health benefits. Years of research show that gardening can improve physical, psychological and social health.
The therapeutic value of gardening isn’t a new idea. It’s actually an ancient concept, and its role in mental health has been officially recognized since the 19th century. Today, we understand more about how horticulture therapy helps seniors and many other people thrive.
Physical Benefits of Gardening for Seniors
Some of the physiological benefits are obvious. Digging, weeding and planting naturally build muscle strength and improve flexibility, which enhances mobility. Here are some other physical benefits:
- Reduced Risk of Falls: Regular gardening activities promote balance, coordination and stability, reducing the likelihood of falls.
- Better Hand-Eye Coordination: Handling seeds, tools and delicate plants can sharpen spatial judgment and fine motor skills.
- Improved Arthritis Management: Gardening is a great exercise for managing arthritis. It helps keep joints flexible, can improve the range of motion and can relieve soreness in the hands and wrists.
- Better Diet: Growing your own food supports healthful eating. Gardeners are more likely to include vegetables in their diet.
- Vitamin D Exposure: Spending time in the sun increases vitamin D intake. Vitamin D supports strong bones and a robust immune system. Just make sure your loved one wears sunscreen and a hat while working outside.
Mental and Emotional Benefits of Gardening
Gardening has long been associated with an array of mental and social health benefits. It can enhance quality of life and create a sense of community for your aging parent and can:
- Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Depression: Like any exercise, gardening can lower levels of stress and anxiety. Additionally, it’s a calming activity that can create a soothing rhythm. For these and other reasons, gardening can also relieve depression.
- Lead to Enhanced Cognitive Function: Designing garden layouts, choosing plant varieties and solving gardening challenges can stimulate the mind and sharpen cognition. That makes it ideal for seniors living with dementia. It can’t undo memory loss, but it can enhance mood and sociability.
- Increase Self-Esteem and Sense of Purpose: Nurturing plants from seedlings to full bloom provides a sense of accomplishment and purpose. This, in turn, can foster independence.
Gardening as a Social Activity
Gardening can bring people together and create social connections. This decreases social isolation and fosters a sense of community and purpose.
- Gardening Clubs: These groups offer workshops, field trips and camaraderie, fostering lifelong learning and friendships. Research suggests that members of gardening groups experience significantly more social and physical benefits than nonmembers. If it’s difficult for your loved one to get to club meetings, they can consider joining a virtual garden club. Group-based gardening can provide improvements in women’s psychosocial health, according to research published in 2022.
- Community Gardens: These groups provide an opportunity to connect with fellow local gardeners, exchange tips and stories and dig in the dirt with others. One study that looked specifically at community gardening found that it helped lower stress and anxiety, reduce cancer risks and increase physical activity.
- Intergenerational Gardening: Gardening among people of different generations can help foster bonds between grandparents and grandchildren. It can help your parents gain empathy for what youngsters are going through today and share their experiences and expertise with younger generations.
Adaptive Gardening for the Elderly
Unless your loved one is an experienced gardener, it’s a good idea to start simple. Encourage them to select low-maintenance, resilient plants. Begin with a few pots or a small corner, knowing that you can always expand.
Other ways to make gardening easier include:
- Raised Beds or Containers: These minimize stooping, kneeling and squatting. Seniors can garden comfortably without bending over, minimizing the strain on backs and knees.
- Pathways That Accommodate Walkers and Wheelchairs: Place raised beds and containers so the wheelchair can be rolled directly up to the garden. Even better, consider a U-shaped raised bed that makes wheelchair and walker access even easier.
- Drip Irrigation and Soaker Hoses: These techniques can ensure convenient watering without heavy lifting.
- Ergonomic Tools: The right tools can minimize fatigue and strain during gardening tasks. For example, long-handled tools can eliminate stooping, and tools with large handles can make gardening easier for people with arthritis in their hands.
- Use a Gardening Stool: Rather than standing, leaning over, squatting or sitting on the ground, consider a stool with a padded seat. Some can even double as a kneeler to help alleviate knee and back stress.
Keep Gardening Safe for Seniors
Your parents or other older loved ones may be eager to get into the garden, but you’ll want to keep them safe and healthy. Suggest these tips to them:
- Gentle Stretching: Having a nice stretch before gardening can loosen joints and prevent injury. It’s especially important for people with arthritis or other joint pain.
- Gardening Gloves: In the winter, gardening gloves can protect the joints from cold temperatures. If your loved one has arthritis, consider buying oversized gloves and adding foam padding inside.
- Face Mask: Wearing one that’s medical grade or made for outdoor work can protect your loved one from allergies.
- Proper Hydration: As with any exercise, keeping properly hydrated is essential. Make sure you and your loved one have plenty of water nearby.
- Watch the weather: Especially when daily temperatures are high, avoid the peak sun times in early afternoon. Try to garden in the morning or in the early evening.
Time to Dig in the Garden
Gardening offers an array of physical and mental health benefits. But it’s also a fun activity the entire family can do together. Talk to your elderly loved one about creating a garden in your yard or participating in a community garden.
If they seem interested, get started!
There’s no need to buy out the garden center right away. If your loved one is new to gardening, trying out a gardening club or attending a workshop is a great place to begin. If they are more experienced or show a real talent for gardening, you could connect them with a Master Gardener program, which provides intensive horticultural training.
Finally, even if your loved one isn’t able to manage any serious gardening, merely spending time outdoors in green spaces and having contact with nature can boost physical, mental and emotional health.
Whether they are puttering around with a flower pot, creating a lush butterfly garden or building a vegetable and herb garden, gardening empowers your loved one to have a healthier, happier, more engaged life.
BrightStar Care® Supports Keeping Seniors Active and Engaged
At BrightStar Care, we value holistic health for seniors. We work with people to encourage them to pursue interests that bring joy and uplift overall well-being. Whether you're looking for in-home care services or assisted living for your loved one or a reliable medical staffing partner for your organization, our experienced local care team members are ready to help. Find a location near you, contact us online or call (866) 618-7827 to learn more about how BrightStar Care offers A Higher Standard®.