Tips to Keep Gardening Safe for Seniors

Spring has sprung, which means it’s time to bring your garden back to life. Gardening makes a great pastime for people of all ages, but it’s especially helpful in getting older adults fresh air and enough physical activity without being tiresome. Plus, gardens are beautiful to look at and produce extraordinarily healthy and fresh ingredients for any meal.

Gardening makes a beautiful hobby, but seniors have safety concerns, such as falling or physical strain. However, knowing the best practices for safe gardening and accessible tools to make gardening easier, seniors can continue to spend time outside growing food and flowers.

Best Practices for Safe Gardening

Since gardening is a physical activity, there are some precautions seniors should take to stay safe and reduce the risks of injuries.

• Plant vegetables and herbs in raised garden beds. When you plant something directly in the ground, you have to get on your hands and knees, which can cause extreme stress and discomfort. Then to harvest, you have to continually bend over, which you may not be easily able to do. To avoid some of the unnecessary up and down while gardening, plant your plants in raised garden beds. Even bringing plants a few inches off the ground allows you to sit on a chair while gardening and reduces strain on the body.
• Don’t garden outside in extreme weather. You probably know not to garden in storms, but it’s also essential to stay inside when the weather is too warm. In the spring and summer months, temperatures can get dangerously high. Doing any physical activity outside, even something as low-impact as gardening can lead to heat exhaustion. Even on cooler days, be sure to drink lots of water and wear breathable clothing to reduce your body’s chance of overheating.
• Garden with a friend. Gardening can be a tremendous solitary activity, but it’s just as fun with friends. If you’re going to be spending long hours outside, consider inviting a friend, family member, or even a caregiver to help. Having a friend to help means someone will be there in case of a fall, heat exhaustion, or injury. If you don’t have someone nearby, at least tell someone you’re planning on gardening and how long you plan to be outside. That way, someone at least knows of your whereabouts and can send help if they don’t hear from you.
• Wear gloves. As you age, your skin becomes thinner, making it easier to cut. And if you cut your skin while working with dirt and fertilizer, you’ll be at a greater risk of developing an infection. To avoid cuts and potential infections, wear gloves while gardening. Not only with they keep your hands safe, but many gardening gloves have grips to make it easier to hold on to tools. Plus, they keep your hands clean, so you’re not spending hours scrubbing dirt out from under your fingernails.

Tools to Make Gardening Easier

There’s plenty of accessible tools available at local gardening stores or online to help make gardening easier and safer.

• Gardening seat- Instead of sitting on the ground or your knees, purchase a gardening seat that you can effortlessly move about your garden.
• Easy-grip gardening tools- Find tools with easy-grip handles so you’ll have an easier time holding on to them, especially if you have arthritis.
• Gardening apron- Wearing a gardening apron not only keeps your clothes clean but also helps you organize your tools and keep everything you need within reach with various size pockets and pouches.
• Standup weed puller- Getting those pesky weeds out from your garden can be a pain, but with a standup weed puller, you can remove weeds without having to bend over.
• Lightweight gardening hose- Hoses can be heavy, especially when they’ve got water running through them. Look for a lightweight hose that you can carry throughout your yard.

How Visiting Angels Can Help

If you or a loved one needs assistance tending to your garden this spring, the team at Visiting Angels Mobile is happy to help. Our compassionate caregivers can help with shopping for the perfect plants and accompanying seniors while gardening to make sure they stay safe. Caregivers can also assist with light housekeeping, meal preparation, personal grooming, bathing, and more. Our Mobile office serves those in Mobile and the surrounding areas. If you’d like to learn more about our services, you can schedule a free consultation online or give us a call at 251.345.4100.