Gardening Intervention for Physical and Psychological Health Benefits in Elderly Women at Community Centers

Abstract

<jats:p>The present study aimed to assess the physical and psychological health benefits of a 15-session gardening intervention in elderly women and to investigate satisfaction of the gardening intervention. Fifty elderly women (age &gt;70 years) at two senior community centers located in Seoul, South Korea, were selected to participate in this study. Twenty-four elderly women at senior community center “A” participated in a twice-weekly gardening intervention (≈50 minutes per session) during the period Sept. to Nov. 2015; 26 elderly women at senior community center “B” comprised a control group. At the completion of the 15-session gardening intervention, physical health parameters such as body composition, physical functional ability, and hand function ability were assessed in both groups. Additionally, psychological health conditions, such as cognitive ability, depression, and sociality, were assessed. The elderly women also answered a questionnaire to assess the amount of physical activity experienced during daily life. Elderly women in the gardening intervention group exhibited significantly improved muscle mass, aerobic endurance, hand dexterity, cognitive ability, and decreased waist circumference (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05). In contrast, significantly decreased muscle mass and agility and increased depression were observed in the control group (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05). Moreover, elderly women in the gardening intervention group reported a significantly higher amount of daily physical activity compared with those in the control group (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> &lt; 0.05). Additionally, 95.8% of elderly women in the gardening intervention group reported of being very satisfied with the gardening intervention. In conclusion, the gardening intervention maintained and improved the physical and psychological health of elderly women at a senior community center, whereas elderly women in the control group experienced age-related reduced physical and psychological health conditions. More studies are needed to evaluate the effects of a gardening intervention in a larger population of elderly women; in addition, a longer intervention period would provide a better measure of health in elderly women.</jats:p>

Comparison of Physiological and Psychological Relaxation Using Measurements of Heart Rate Variability, Prefrontal Cortex Activity, and Subjective Indexes after Completing Tasks with and without Foliage Plants

“…Meanwhile, horticultural activities have been used as a treatment modality in horticultural therapy, which is a complementary alternative medicine. Various horticultural activities with living plants, including digging, raking, planting, weeding, harvesting, and watering, have been defined as healthy physical activities reflecting low- to high-intensity physical activities in children, adults in their 20s, and the elderly (older than 65 years of age) [ 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ]. Moreover, upper and lower limb muscles are actively being engaged while subjects perform various horticultural activities [ 57 , 58 ].…”

“…Stroke patients with depression exhibited significant improvement in depressive symptoms after participating in an eight-session horticultural therapy program [ 62 ]. Moreover, elderly women >70 years of age maintained psychological health and improved their cognitive abilities, physical functional abilities, and immune systems by participating in a 15-session gardening intervention [ 59 , 63 ]. Accordingly, horticultural activity intervention has potential as a physical rehabilitation treatment, with the added benefit of physiological and psychological relaxation.…”

Garden-Based Integrated Intervention for Improving Children’s Eating Behavior for Vegetables

“…The researchers revised the questionnaires developed by Park et al [43] and Lee [44] to investigate the participants' satisfaction with the program. The satisfaction questionnaire consisted of six items: overall satisfaction, satisfaction with program time, satisfaction with program frequency, preferred activities, re-participation, and possibility of recommending the program to others.…”

Determining the Effects of a Horticultural Therapy Program for Improving the Upper Limb Function and Balance Ability of Stroke Patients

“…In addition, a satisfaction survey for the HT program was revised and tailored appropriately for this study (Park et al, 2015(Park et al, , 2016b and performed by the stroke patients in the HT group after the 18-session HT program. This satisfaction survey was composed of a total of nine questions: overall satisfaction with the HT, duration per HT session, frequency of HT, benefits of HT, preference for performed HT activities, wish to continue participating in the HT, intent to recommend the HT to other stroke patients, intent to pay for HT, and willingness to pay for HT.…”