With spring upon us, millions of Americans are getting out their spades and hand rakes for gardening season. Gardening is great for everybody, but it can be particularly beneficial to seniors. With a variety of health and emotional benefits, gardening is one of the best low-impact activities for seniors, including those with mild physical limitations, memory problems, or those who require various forms of senior care.
“Gardening is an extremely healthy and rewarding activity for seniors,” says Larry Meigs, CEO of Visiting Angels. “Staying active is vitally important for seniors. As a long time member of the senior care community, I can’t stress how important it is for seniors to have mental, emotional, and physical outlets. Gardening provides all three.”
The benefits of garden care for seniors are plentiful. Studies have shown that low-impact exercise, such as gardening, can drastically reduce seniors’ risk of injury and physical conditions like osteoporosis. Gardening helps seniors maintain – or even increase – flexibility and strength. What’s more, gardening provides a peaceful, engaging activity. This can be therapeutic, helping to relieve emotional stress for lonely or frustrated seniors. Gardening can even provide a therapeutic outlet for Alzheimer’s sufferers.
Of course, as with any physical activity, it’s important that seniors take care when they garden to prevent exhaustion or injury. With that in mind, here are some tips if an elderly loved one has a budding green thumb.
If you have an elderly relative or loved one who loves to garden, but finds the activity increasingly difficult, senior care from your local Visiting Angels home care provider may be the answer. Contact your local Visiting Angels office to find out if senior care is right for your loved one.
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With his caregiver Helen, Angell’s humor, his sense of fun, his innate frankness shone. She blessed his life.