Tending to a garden is a wonderful way to reap the rewards of your efforts. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), approximately 40% of home gardeners in the United States are 50 years old or older.
Gardening clubs provide a welcoming space for elderly adults to try a fun hobby, connect with others, and enhance their gardening skills.
Read on to learn how the gardening activities available at Addington Place of Lee's Summit in Lee's Summit, MO, benefit those living in our friendly and caring community.
Whether it's with local gardening groups or participating in gardening activities in our community, this fun, fruitful hobby encourages and supports social interaction. Spending time with peers provides elderly people with positive connections and a strong bond.
Not only does socializing with others help to improve your mood, but it can also help to boost your self-esteem. When seniors join gardening clubs, they create a sense of belonging that gives them purpose and a mutual goal.
Socialization greatly enhances quality of life while reducing stress and anxiety. Gardening clubs give seniors something to look forward to as they get to spend time with their friends while working on something tangible.
Spending quality time with others also reduces feelings of loneliness and increases feelings of support and togetherness. Eliminating loneliness is one of the most important pillars of having a good, quality lifestyle as we age.
The act of gardening can help to improve the strength and physical flexibility of seniors. By performing actions like reaching, squatting, bending, and stretching, they should notice an improvement in their overall strength over time.
Whether it's through clubs or gardening workshops, participating in this hobby can also help to improve balance and coordination. Even beginner gardening requires people to do certain activities that require agility and strength. In turn, this may help to reduce the risk of falls.
Gardening also supports and improves hand-eye coordination. Using tools like shovels and trowels keeps senior's hand-eye coordination skills sharp. It also helps to keep the heart rate up, which strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves blood circulation.
By participating in a peaceful activity like gardening, seniors will also notice reduced stress levels. Additionally, this fun hobby helps to lower blood pressure, which reduces the risk of a range of serious life-threatening heart conditions.
Regularly engaging in gardening-related activities keeps the heart rate up and can strengthen the cardiovascular system by improving blood circulation and boosting heart muscle strength. It can also help lower blood pressure, reduce stress levels, and even minimize the risk of stroke.
Another surprising benefit of gardening is that it might also help to strengthen the immune system. Getting fresh air, being outside and getting sunlight, and engaging in physical exercise keep the immune system strong to protect the elderly from certain illnesses.
Community gardening clubs also help to improve the mental health of elderly adults. When they have a chance to connect with nature, they'll get lots of other benefits like increased feelings of peace, happiness, and satisfaction.
Once a garden produces a harvest, it provides seniors with a true sense of accomplishment. As a result, they'll feel much happier and less likely to feel depressed.
A gardening club membership may also reduce seniors' risk of dementia. Planting flowers and other plants can help to improve cognitive abilities and memory and may even reduce the risk of developing dementia as people age.
Feeling less stress and more happiness also improves sleep duration and quality. Getting proper, restful sleep is essential for every adult, but it's particularly important for the elderly to help keep them healthier for longer.
Gardening also allows people to live in the moment, which makes it a great distraction. Through gardening, seniors can temporarily disconnect from worries and stress, which has significant benefits to both physical and mental health.
Elderly adults who spend time gardening outside have an opportunity to engage all of their senses. They'll get to take in a variety of smells, sounds, and sights all provided courtesy of Mother Nature.
When people use their senses, it helps to build nerve connections in the brain. As a result, this may help improve memory, mood, and feelings of calm and well-being.
From planting and growing to harvesting, gardening requires people to use various skills and senses. Once the fruits and vegetables are ready to be harvested, people will have a chance to eat the food they grew, too, so their sense of taste remains engaged.
Even if your elderly loved one can't have an outdoor garden, there are many ways to enjoy gardening indoors. Here are some quick tips to encourage seniors to try their hand at gardening inside:
These easy gardening "hacks" give seniors a chance to try out their green thumb indoors. It also gives them a chance to decorate and put their personal stamp on their living space.
Although participating in outdoor gardening is ideal, these simple alternatives help seniors get a chance to experience the magic of gardening inside. It's a great way to have a garden during the colder months or if seniors can't get outdoors.
From improving flexibility and stamina to boosting mood and self-esteem, gardening clubs give senior adults a myriad of amazing benefits. It's a wonderful hobby that anyone can enjoy regardless of your age.
At Addington Place of Lee's Summit, residents enjoy a wonderful community focused on freedom, care, and comfort. If you'd like to learn more about our community or would like to schedule a tour, contact us today.