Each autumn, the culinary benefits of gardening overflow into our kitchens. The physical benefits: When elderly people spend too much time indoors they are unable to get the proper amount of vitamin D they require for good health. If you are looking for an excuse to spend more time outdoors this spring, consider a hobby like gardening that will benefit your physical, mental and emotional health. Self-esteem and Stress Relief ; After completing a stressful task, a Dutch study asked half of their participants to garden for 30mins and the other half to read indoors. Elderly gardening is a great source of physical activity and mental stimulation. Studies have found that the mental health benefits of gardening are extensive. See additional benefits and details of raised bed systems here on Gardener’s Path. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists gardening as a recommended strengthening e xercise for people over the age of 65. Friendly reminder: While the sun does have its benefits, protect yourself from harmful UV rays and sunburn by wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat as you garden. Tending to a garden is a leisurely activity that can help to improve one’s overall health. “Gardens provide beautiful settings which uplift our hearts and improve our moods,” Haskett notes. Don't give up your garden as you grow old! Did you know that getting your hands dirty can help your bill of health stay clean? The verdict is in: gardening is beneficial for mental health and wellbeing. It can also improve our mental health. Growing your own flowers and plants has many benefits for people with dementia. Emotional Benefits Beyond the cognitive benefits of maintaining a garden, seniors often get a variety of emotional benefits as well. Gardening health benefits. Mental & Emotional Benefits There is a lot of peace that can be found in the practice of gardening. The very act of gardening is a pleasant activity for people whether or not a plant eventually grows. Read all about the phenomenal benefits here! It’s an activity that reduces stress and fosters happiness. This is a guest post by Felix Marsh Elderly people who find they are spending more and more time at home can benefit a great deal from having a garden, or a patio with containers to tend to. How gardening helps people's mental health. Embrace your green thumb and enjoy these physical and emotional benefits. The NHS is increasingly using social prescribing and community referral schemes to refer T he benefits of gardening are seemingly endless, both mentally and physically. Not only can planting bulbs, digging trenches and … However, since they presented no quantitative synthesis and only focused on health benefits of allotment gardening (Wang and MacMillan, 2013) and for elderly people (Genter et al., 2015), respectively, more comprehensive and convincing evidence is still wanting. In relation to the reasons for gardening, several themes were identified including valuing the aesthetics of gardens, connecting with nature, achievement, and physical and mental activity. The gardening group reported better moods and displayed measurable lower cortisol levels. There is no reason for anyone to have to kneel these days. Whether you plant your flowers and vegetables in containers on your patio or in a large traditional garden, there are numerous health, physical, psychological and mental benefits of gardening for seniors. The benefits of gardening, and the variety of ways that respondents had adapted or modified their gardening activities in order to continue, are also reported. with gardening, but there are four specific areas of good practice: in social prescribing; community gardens, volunteering and recovery from illness; dementia care; and end-of-life care.