8 Benefits of Home Gardening for the Elderly
Gardening is one of the most soothing activities that anyone can undertake. It brings a different level of peace and calmness to your heart. The lovely greens, the blooming flowers, and the enigmatic aroma of the plants charm the vibes that make you happy. Gardening has many benefits and it is said to be one of the best hobbies that elderly and senior citizens can nurture.
In the golden years, elderly people don’t have many things to do, owing to their health issues and age. And to top it up, with the busy schedule, it becomes challenging for their children or grandkids to give time to the elderly and senior citizens in their house. This can lead to creating low mental health as they may feel socially isolated and lonely. As per studies, elderly people who have taken up gardening as a hobby have shown excellent mental as well as physical health. The art of gardening is such that the body and brain are forced to work, boosting the overall health of the elderly and senior citizens. Adding to this, gardening is one of the best forms of therapy, if you undertake the activity as a group or community.
8 Benefits of Home Gardening for Senior Citizens
The benefits of gardening for elderly people range to a great level. It helps in ensuring that they are healthy and happy from their heart. Some of the top benefits of gardening are:
1. Burning Calories
Well yes, since gardening forces your body to work like moving planters here and there, watering them, repotting, and so on, you automatically burn calories. Adding to this, the body naturally performs exercises like bending, squatting, pulling, stretching, and so on. It is said, gardening can burn up to 200 to 400 calories easily.
2. More Muscle Strength
Ageing can lead to loss of strength in the muscle because of which, the elderly and senior citizen can feel a strenuous sensation all through the body. Though exercises can help in preventing muscle weakening, elderly people can get tired easily. This is where gardening for seniors comes to the rescue. It is said that a few hours of gardening per week can help in strengthening the muscles as it makes the body work out naturally.
3. Vitamin D
If the elderly and senior citizens have lower levels of vitamin D in their body, the benefits of home gardening are here for you. Gardening is a good way to ensure that the levels go up you will be exposed to its most natural source – the Sun. However, overexposure to sun rays can be harmful; so ensure that you are not exposed to the sun for a longer time.
4. Reduces Stress
One of the most important gardening benefits for seniors is the fact that they help in reducing stress. Gardening is a blissful activity that makes the heart feel content, which ensures that the stress-producing cortisol levels are lowered while the serotonin levels are higher. For the uninitiated, serotonin is a calming chemical in the brain that helps in making the mood better, allowing you to feel happier; a feeling that elderly and senior citizens need the most.
5. Better Sync
Another gardening benefit for elderly people is that it helps in increasing hand-eye coordination, which further enhances the sync between the brain and body.
6. Reduces Risk of Dementia
One of the biggest advantages of gardening is that it helps in reducing the risk of dementia in elderly and senior citizens. As they are prone to such conditions, keeping them mentally active (of course, to a limit) is essential. With gardening benefits, the elderly and senior citizens will have to think about the plants, how to take care of them, what else plant can they grow, and so on, which keeps the mind active, reducing the chances of dementia or even Alzheimer’s for that matter.
7. Improves Sleep
Since gardening activities like digging, repotting, watering, and so on exerts your body, by the end of the day, elderly people will feel tired, which leads to better sleep. Adding to this, gardening is also a mood booster. So by default, the amazing effects of gardening help in improving sleep. You know, as they say – a good mood is equal to good sleep.
8. The Benefits of Organic Gardening
If you are into organic gardening, the advantages of growing vegetables and fruits at home are many. They are free of pesticides, better in taste, and much more, leading you to eat fresh and healthy food.
Apart from this, gardening also benefits the elderly and senior citizens by making them feel empowered that gives them a sense of independence and inner peace.
Emoha is one of the leading elder care services in India. We organise various activities for elders, help them with errands, and provide 24×7 assistance. At Emoha, it is always #EldersFirst.
