How gardening can positively impact your wellbeing in aged care

gardening

Amongst the joy of being outdoors and enjoying some fresh air, sunlight and taking time to be with nature, there’s many perks to spending some spare time in the garden. Whether it’s as simple as watering the herb garden, planting new flowers or admiring the new sprouts every morning, there’s something which sparks joy when it comes to tending to a garden.

Whether you’re an avid green thumb or wanting to try something new, here’s a few positives to getting out and about;

Connection with nature

You know the feeling when you’ve been inside all day, and you step outside for the first time and fresh air hits your face? Yep, that’s just the beginning of the mood lifter stepping into your garden can bring.

Studies have proven seeking some greenery, whether that’s simply standing bare foot on the lawn or enjoying sunshine for 10 minutes a day, can improve both our physical and mental health. Depression, anxiety and calmness reduces, due to the new scenery and refreshing landscapes are the long-lasting benefits when it comes to enjoying some time outdoors.

One key benefit is boosting our memory, an important aspect when we start to age. One study found a 20% improvement in attention span and memory after spending just one hour in a natural environment. From boosting our creativity to enjoying some calming time in a new environment, getting outside does wonders for the soul.

Responsibility and commitment

Whether it’s getting up to water the herb garden or having to change the florals depending on the season, there comes some responsibility when you commit to starting your gardening venture and this helps those in aged care have something to look forward to and keep in their weekly routine. From watering days to shopping for flowers or weeding, spending time in the garden allows our residents to do what they normally would in their home environment, and a commitment gives something to look forward to. As we all may know, keeping plants healthy and thriving can sometimes be challenging, so with this task comes an element of responsibility, providing motivation and encouragement for our residents. Plus we don’t want to let down our fellow residents…

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Socialising

Asking your friends to lend a helping hand or showing off your thriving blooms to your loved ones when they come and visit is the perfect excuse to spark a conversation and encourage socialisation. Creating new relationships and fostering existing ones is crucial for our mental health and wellbeing and something we work so hard to achieve here at Georges Estate. Whether it’s getting your friend to help you water the garden or talking about the changing seasons, these all bring a plethora of benefits and help shape our close knit community.

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Reward

Other than being able to enjoy fresh herbs or picking some fresh flowers for the table piece, the sense of reward is wonderful when working in a garden. The hard work, commitment and dedication has paid off and there’s no better feeling of accomplishment than seeing new shoots, new colours and being able to pick your end product. There’s also a special feeling when you get to show off your hard work to family and friends…

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Mental stimulation

By practicing our fine motor skills, which tends to decline when we age, gardening is the perfect activity to get our brain thinking and also stretch our creative muscles. From digging, planting to watering, there’s many things which go into this activity and help our overall wellbeing.

At Georges Estate we’re proud to offer an expansive outdoor area where residents can enjoy time in the lush gardens or sit with their loved-ones and chat over a cuppa. To book a tour, in person or virtually, use the link below;

Brittany

Find out more about our beautiful home and caring team

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