How Does Gardening Help The Elderly

For elderly people, the benefits of gardening are numerous and varied, allowing them to enjoy a sense of purpose and satisfaction, as well as improving their physical and mental health. Gardening has long been a popular pastime for many seniors, and in recent years the number of older people taking up gardening has continued to increase. In this article, we'll explore how gardening can help the elderly by looking at eight primary threads.

1. Improving Physical Health

Gardening can help improve physical health for seniors by providing a gentle form of exercise. Activities such as digging, weeding, and raking help to increase strength, flexibility, and coordination. Furthermore, getting out in the sunshine can help to increase vitamin D levels, important for strong bones and a healthy immune system.

2. Encouraging Cognitive Stimulation

Gardening can also help to encourage cognitive stimulation for aging minds. Decisions have to be made on which plants to choose and where to plant them, while getting to grips with soil conditions and other environmental factors can help boost an elderly person's understanding of plants and biology.

3. Enhancing Social Connectivity

Many elderly people may feel isolated from the rest of society, but gardening can help to overcome this. Joining an allotment society and working together with other gardeners in a shared space can help to foster a sense of community and camaraderie. Furthermore, seniors can use their gardening skills to get involved in activities such as plant swaps or charity plant sales, furthering their social connectivity.

4. Boosting Mental Health

As with any exercise, gardening can provide an ability to focus on the here and now, promoting sensations of joy and relaxation. These sensations, in combination with the sense of satisfaction associated with caring for and nurturing plants, can help to relieve the symptoms of stress and anxiety.

5. Providing a Sense of Fulfillment

Cultivating plants can give elderly people a real sense of purpose and fulfillment. Seniors can also use gardening to bring joy to their families, potentially passing the love and knowledge of gardening to the next generation.

6. Helping With Diet and Nutrition

Growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs can help seniors to create healthy and nutritious meals with minimal effort and expense. This can help them to stay on top of dietary requirements, especially if they are on a restricted budget.

7. Allowing a Form of Self-Expression

Gardening gives people an opportunity to express their creativity and passion through their choice of plants and garden design. An elderly person may not have the opportunity to unleash their creative side in other areas of their life, making gardening particularly beneficial.

8. Getting Out Into Nature

Getting outside into fresh air and sunshine can help to reduce inflammation, providing relief from conditions such as arthritis. Being surrounded by nature can also help to reduce stress and invigorate the soul.

In Summary

Gardening can provide many benefits to elderly people both physical and mental. From physical exercise to increased social connectivity, there are many ways in which seniors can benefit from taking part in gardening. Additionally, well-kept gardens can help seniors to express their creativity and achieve a sense of purpose and satisfaction. With the numerous benefits of gardening, it is an activity that should be encouraged for seniors.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2963836/

http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/1113173139.html

https://www.constructiveculture.com/7-ways-gardening-benefits-elderly/