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Gardening and the elderlyAs we age our youthful flexibility, strength and endurance is replaced with stiffness, soreness, vision impairment or shortness of breath. Gardening on the acre lot is going to need some big revisions to reduce or forego the garden we had planned. More and more of what we might want to do in the garden during our retired year's takes the same lifting, bending, kneeling and twisting that it did before. Now the repetitive motions can be increasingly difficult. We could pay someone else to the difficult labor, but there goes the fun and sense of accomplishment for ourselves. Besides, we may have a tight budget. We may not wish to spend our retirement money to pay someone else to do our gardening. Gardens are great for exercise no matter what age. The elderly need to rethink how to do the gardening and what they want to do. Besides some of the obvious physical obstacles like dealing with arthritis or osteoporosis, there are a number of other important health issues to keep in mind. Watch for exposing yourself to UV light too often. The older you become the less defense your body has for cellular repair against UV damage. Your internal thermostat is slower to adjust for the need to add a layer or remove a layer of clothing. Living in a semi-arid climate, dehydration is of greater importance as is the possibility of sunstroke. We lose the ability to keep our balance due to vision, hormones or even blood pressure. Falling becomes an issue. It becomes difficult to remind yourself not to stand too quickly or resume a standing position after bending over. You could become dizzy, faint or even pass out. With all the challenges of getting older to deal with, why garden? There is more time in retirement for gardening, if that is of any importance. There is always the reduction of stress and keeping oneself active. Naturally, if you have grown your own vegetables you still have access to that type of fresh food. For some growing, their food may help save some money with the food budget. If you are used to canning or freezing what you grow, then there is a source for fresh food year round. With the fresh food, you know the nutritional value is there. You also know who is growing the food and how it is grown. The most important factor to consider before starting any garden is do you want to be active? Then, ask yourself, how active? Think about raised beds, smaller enclosed spaces, or even using containers or window boxes. With less agility and lack of our full range of motion, a raised bed or container garden lessons the need for bending down so far or the length of time being outdoors. It pays to think about what you as an individual can accomplish and want in a garden. Look at the different levels of mobility and match them to your interests and skills. Can you kneel for great lengths of time? Can you twist and turn without a problem? Can you lift or push heavy loads in a wheelbarrow? There are special tools to help assist with gardening. Ergonomic tools have specially shaped handles to help reduce the stress of repetitive motions. Besides tools, be creative. Try smaller hydroponic gardens. Get the family involved by teaching the grandchildren. If you do not have grandchildren, reach out to youth in your area and become a mentor. No matter what age, gardening is therapeutic and healing. It provides peace and tranquility. For those who love to garden, keeping a garden going gives one a sense of purpose. One stays motivated and keeps morale positive. Gardening helps those who suffer from depression. There are bacteria in the soil that help fight depression. Studies show that residents in assisted living places heal faster if the residents have a tree or natural setting to view rather than a building. Other studies show that spending time looking at a tree helps lower blood pressure. This makes sense since the color green on the color wheel is a cool color that creates a calming effect in any environment. Whether viewing a garden or being active by pulling weeds in a garden, both have advantages for our health. Being cautious about the pitfalls of gardening while we age, makes us sensible about how to be more efficient and still stay active. 1/28/08 Date: 1/18/08
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