Gardening is a popular hobby that often helps nurture the body, mind, and spirit as we enjoy nature. However, as people grow older, gardening becomes more challenging. The major problem is the loss of strength, mobility, and endurance that often comes with aging. Fortunately, several strategies make gardening more comfortable and enjoyable for seniors.

How is Gardening Beneficial to older adults?

As an outdoor activity, gardening brings many benefits for the seniors as they enjoy their time outside. Several studies have proven the physical and emotional benefits of interacting with a green environment. Here are some of the benefits.

• Gardening keeps the body and mind active and helps relieve stress as it stimulates the senses and strengthens people's connection with nature.
• It provides beautiful surroundings, fresh flowers, and even fruits and vegetables.
• Gardening activities like pruning, weeding, and lifting help older people remain strong and flexible.
• Outdoor activities give seniors vital sunlight exposure opportunities, improving vitamin D levels and mood.

Tips for Making Gardening Safer for Seniors

Provide Shade and Include Seating

Shade in the garden is essential because older people's skin is more susceptible to sunburn. Seniors also need a convenient place to sit and rest while gardening. Therefore, it's important to add comfortable outdoor benches under shady areas near the garden for the convenience of older adults. When they are tired, they can comfortably sit to admire their work.

Consider Higher Garden Beds

Some older adults have physical restrictions, making it difficult to bend or kneel while working in the garden. Therefore, it's essential to raise the beds to access levels to reduce straining and make it easier to work on them. Raised garden beds also improve drainage and make harvesting easier with minimal bending. Seniors with back and joint problems are also able to garden with ease.

Use Low Maintenance Plants

To reduce the workload and ensure prolonged enjoyment for the seniors, use plants that don't need constant maintenance like pruning and weeding. Choose indigenous plants that are native to your location. In this case, choose plants native to Overland Park and the surrounding areas like Lenexa.

Consider Vertical Gardens

Grow vining plants upwards using poles, arbors, and trellises to make it easier for older adults to tend. This also makes walking between plants easy to allow for easy pruning and harvesting. Plants like flowers, peas, beans, and cucumbers grow well on vertical systems like trellises. Using these vertical growth techniques alleviates the need to bend or kneel.

Install an Irrigation System

Manual hand watering is tiresome, especially for older adults with joint and back complications. Piped irrigation system powered by a water pump can make gardening simple and enjoyable for seniors. Consider installing an irrigation system to reduce unnecessary straining for the seniors while tending the gardens.

Use Specialized Tools

Go the extra mile and introduce some special tools to make maintenance easy for the seniors.  

Gardening is an excellent activity that many Americans enjoy even as they age. However, due to mobility challenges, seniors may need more support to make gardening more convenient. With these strategies, older people can continue enjoying gardening while aging in place. 

Are you in need of help with your senior loved one? At Senior Helpers, Overland Park, we provide services for older adults, all done in the comfort of home. Contact us today for more details about the services we offer.