The Effectiveness of Horticultural Therapy on Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Nicholas, Sean Olivia; Giang, Thuy‐Anh; Yap, Philip

doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2019.06.021

Cited by 62 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Due to its documented benefits, TH is gaining importance and TH programs are found in a wide variety of healthcare, rehabilitative, and residential settings in North America and a few other temperate countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan. A systematic review on the effects of TH showed that there was pre-post improvement in well-being, anxiety and depression, social relations, cognitive and functional outcomes 13 . Of the 20 studies included in the review, 16 were conducted on participants from long-term residential care facilities, and as such the results cannot be generalized to communities or day-care settings 13 .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A systematic review on the effects of TH showed that there was pre-post improvement in well-being, anxiety and depression, social relations, cognitive and functional outcomes 13 . Of the 20 studies included in the review, 16 were conducted on participants from long-term residential care facilities, and as such the results cannot be generalized to communities or day-care settings 13 . Only one study was conducted in the tropical environment, where the study population was healthy older adults with good cognitive functioning and good mobility 14 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Nature-based activities improve the well-being of older adults

Sia

Tam

Fogel

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Current literature shows that interaction with urban greenery can have a wide range of positive health outcomes. Targeted nature-based programs, such as therapeutic horticulture, have been shown to result in multiple health benefits for older adults residing in temperate environments, but much less research has been carried out on populations with different phenotypes, such as older Asian adults in the tropics. The current study investigated the effects of a 24-session therapeutic horticulture program on 47 older participants in Singapore, with an experimental pretest posttest design. We found that participants maintained healthy sleep patterns and psychological health, as well as showed reduced anxiety and improved cognitive functioning (p < 0.05). In addition, they reported an increase in mean happiness score after each session. This study provides new evidence using a comprehensive set of indicators across the affective, cognitive, functional, psychosocial and physical domains, supporting current literature on the benefits of nature programs, with a novel focus on tropical environments. It provides evidence that the nature-based intervention has the potential to be translated to programs to benefit older adults in the tropics.

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Nature-based activities improve the well-being of older adults

Sia

Tam

Fogel

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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“…Some heterogeneity in terms of impacts on health, especially in terms of mental health, cognitive functioning, and physical health was found in studies in which a comparison of results across age groups was possible [ 37 ]. This concept is further supported in an analysis specifically designed to demonstrate the therapeutic effects of horticulture in older adults [ 38 ]. Thereby, the authors suggest that it is important to consider the multiple demographic variables which may affect the results of the research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of the included studies considering gardening as a complementary activity part of wider programs also including food education. These studies [ 38 , 39 , 40 ] mainly focused on dietary intake, specifically fruit and vegetable consumption. It is interesting to notice that studies are consistent when analyzing outcomes related to different age groups: the major assessment in elderly population is focused on physical activity and mental health; conversely, in children, the evaluation is mainly based on dietary patterns.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community Garden Initiatives Addressing Health and Well-Being Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Infodemiology Aspects, Outcomes, and Target Populations

Gregis

Ghisalberti

Sciascia

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Previous research has suggested that activities such as community gardens could offer a wide range of health benefits. The aim of the article is to systematically review the available literature to analyse the magnitude of the phenomenon, the geographical distribution, and the main characteristics in terms of health outcomes and target populations. The search addresses the question whether the activity in community gardens improves health and well-being outcomes of individuals. From the total amount of 7226, 84 selected articles showed that:(1) up to 50% are published by U.S. universities or institutions; (2) up to 44% of the studies considered “community gardens” as the main activity of the research focus; (3) one-third of the studies included adults; (4) almost 25% of the studies used “general health” as the main outcome when investigating the benefits of community gardens; (5) the percentage of studies that achieved their outcomes was heterogeneous among the different health dimensions. In conclusion, while a certain degree of heterogeneity in the used definition and outcome still exist, community gardens may be a viable strategy for well-being promotion in terms of psychological, social, and physical health and may be considered as an innovative urban strategy to promote urban public health.

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“…The systematic review of Nicholas et al. (2019) shows evidence of benefits of nature among older adults, particularly in long‐term care facilities. Significant improvement was found in QoL, anxiety, depression, social relations, and physical and cognitive abilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Daily garden use and quality of life in persons with advanced dementia living in a nursing home: A feasibility study

2020

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Aim To evaluate the process of daily going outside in a nursing home garden and explore the effect of garden use on quality of life and neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with dementia. Design A feasibility study with quantitative and qualitative approaches. Methods Twenty residents with a diagnosis of moderate‐to‐severe dementia participated. The intervention consisted of at least 30 min of garden use, whereby any activity outside is possible as long as it is person‐centred and fitting within usual daily nursing home practice. Interviews were held with caregivers, and questionnaires were sent to other disciplines involved. Quality of life (QUALIDEM) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI‐NH) were collected at baseline, intervention and postintervention. Results Caregivers experienced and observed benefits of going outside for themselves, in residents and relatives. Incorporating daily garden use does not imply an additional task, but rather rearranging priorities and doing the usual activities outside a part of the time.

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The Effectiveness of Horticultural Therapy on Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Cited by 62 publications

References 36 publications

Nature-based activities improve the well-being of older adults

Nature-based activities improve the well-being of older adults

Community Garden Initiatives Addressing Health and Well-Being Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Infodemiology Aspects, Outcomes, and Target Populations

Daily garden use and quality of life in persons with advanced dementia living in a nursing home: A feasibility study

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