There are a lot of different ways to help disabled people garden. It might make someone with a disability feel useful, or it might make someone want to learn something new. People with trouble moving around can have raised bed gardens or gardens made just for them to do an activity with their peers, no matter how good they are at it. Gardening in a supported independent living residence is a great way to get fresh air and exercise while building your brain and fine motor skills. People unable to garden outside can still be involved with gardening through indoor plants or window boxes.
Benefits of Therapeutic Gardens in Supported Independent Living
Here are five of the most significant advantages of gardening for people with disabilities.
1. A Great Physical Activity
Gardening takes work. You'll most likely be bending, pulling, digging, pulling weeds, and sweating. That's good. But does farming get you enough exercise? According to Science Daily, it seems to do. A recent study found that typical gardening tasks give you moderate to high-intensity exercise. Being outside and doing some good old-fashioned exercise is what gardening is all about. It moves your blood around and makes serotonin come out. It also keeps you flexible and makes your muscles and joints work better. Gardening is a great way to stay busy and move around.
2. A Relaxation Location
It's bad for your mental and emotional health to stay home all the time. It also kills your social vibe. A lot of health problems happen to people who stay inside all the time, like sadness, social anxiety disorder, obesity, and more. When you garden, you leave the house and talk to other people.
One way to meet new people and learn new things is to do gardening-related activities. If you can, look for gardening clubs or groups in your area. Make friends with other gardeners and have good ties with those around you. One way to improve your social life while living in a safe and stable home is to garden.
3. Grow more Self-esteem
You don't just grow flowers, trees, herbs, and vegetables when you garden. You grow self-esteem, environments, communities, and something alive and well to be proud of. Taking care of a garden can be very helpful for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as for people who care for people with these disabilities. Many people find it amazing to work with their hands, water plants, pull weeds, and wait for seeds to grow into sprouts and then plants. It can make you proud and help you build a happy, independent life.
4. Taking away Stress
There are scientific reasons why getting your hands dirty can make you happy. The amazing power of dirt has been found in many large studies. These studies show that breathing in M. vaccae, a good bacteria that live in dirt, raises serotonin levels, which is the "happiness hormone," and lowers anxiety levels at the same time (bonus!). Health experts say that doing light gardening for an hour can greatly lower cortisol levels caused by worry. A huge number of people all over the world are dealing with a lot of stress and worry right now. It can be tough to consistently find ways to calm these feelings. Gardens are always growing and changing, so they can help you relax for most of the year. Another great way to get a good night's sleep is gardening, preferably in the afternoon.
5. Sensory Help
Gardening gives you a safe place to explore your creative side. Whether it's your garden, a shared courtyard, a windowsill, or a community garden, you can design it how you want. You can add various plants and flowers with different looks, feels, smells, and sounds that make you happy and relaxed.
Every week when we go to the garden, we enjoy a variety of sensory experiences while taking care of the vegetables and plants." Working in our gardens wakes our minds and bodies in every way, from the smell of fresh herbs to the taste of fruit and veggies we grew ourselves.
6. Health and Happiness
Gardening is a mindful exercise that makes you pay attention and live in the present. It is known that gardening can help people feel less stressed, depressed, and anxious while giving them a sense of purpose. Gardens are a safe place for disabled people to think happily and have some "me" time in nature that can help them feel better. The fresh air and time spent outside can raise the amount of oxygen in your brain. This raises serotonin levels and makes you feel better. Being gentle and calm is a good thing to remember when gardening, which is nice in this fast-paced world.
7. Motor and Mental Skills
Moving your body and mind work together in gardening, making it a great way to improve your health. Growing healthy foods may boost the self-esteem of someone with an intellectual or developmental disability. Low-stress exercise may benefit the body and mind of someone with trouble moving around.
8. Community Inclusion
Finally, planting is good for your mental and emotional health, which is another reason to consider it a hobby. Aside from being able to fit in with their peers, people who work in their fields meet more people than they would have. One more benefit of their growing gardening experience is that they can share the healthy food they grow.
Conclusion
Adding therapeutic gardening to SIL (Supported Independent Living) homes will greatly impact the overall health and happiness of the people who live there. Not only are these green areas beautiful to look at, but they are also safe places to heal physically, emotionally, and mentally. Therapeutic gardens help people build resilience, improve their quality of life, and feel like they belong in their community by stimulating the senses, connecting them with nature, and allowing them to meet new people. The fact that therapeutic gardens were built in SIL homes shows how nature can improve health, healing, and human flourishing. As we continue to follow the ideas of inclusive design and holistic care, growing healing gardens shows that we want to make places in our communities that can heal the body, mind, and spirit of everyone who lives there.
Do you enjoy gardening, socialising and spending time outdoors? We at Care Assure believe in being open and letting everyone get their hands dirty in the garden, no matter what. That's why our Supported Independent Living homes have gardens and why we use some cool gardening tools for people who are disabled! These tools were created with our awesome members in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a therapeutic garden?
A therapeutic garden is a professionally planned outdoor place that uses natural elements to promote healing, relaxation, and well-being. These gardens are purposefully intended to stimulate the senses and provide a haven for people to connect with nature.
What are the advantages of having a therapeutic garden in SIL residences?
Therapeutic gardens provide numerous benefits to residents of Supported Independent Living (SIL) households, including stress reduction, improved mental health, greater physical activity, socialization opportunities, and improved general well-being.
How do therapeutic gardens promote health and wellness?
Therapeutic gardens promote healing and well-being by creating a relaxing setting that decreases stress and anxiety, enhances sensory experiences, promotes physical exercise, facilitates social contact, and allows for emotional expression and introspection.
What features are commonly present in therapeutic gardens?
Therapeutic gardens frequently incorporate walking trails, seating places, sensory plants, water features, raised beds for gardening activities, covered areas, and spots for relaxation and contemplation.
How do citizens get engaged in the creation and maintenance of therapeutic gardens?
Residents can help develop and maintain therapeutic gardens through participatory design procedures that include their choices, needs, and capacities. Residents may also participate in gardening activities and continuous maintenance, instilling a sense of ownership and pride in their garden space.
Are therapeutic gardens accessible to individuals who have disabilities?
Yes, therapeutic gardens can and should be accessible to individuals with impairments. This could incorporate wheelchair-accessible walkways, raised planters for easier access, tactile components for people with vision impairments, and seating places that accommodate various mobility needs.
How can staff and caregivers help residents use therapeutic gardens?
Staff and caregivers can help people use therapeutic gardens by planning structured activities like gardening clubs, nature walks, outdoor workouts, and mindfulness sessions. They can also foster social connections and offer support to ensure residents get the most out of the garden environment.
