As Covid-19 began, gardening became more popular in the United States, especially for elderly people. Not only were people creating gardens, but they were also buying some stores out of certain gardening supplies. It was a fun hobby for some. Even now, a couple of years after the start of Covid, gardening is still exciting for many senior citizens. If your elderly loved one didn’t start a garden yet, now would still be a great time for them to do that. There are numerous benefits of starting a garden in the elderly years that you and your senior may want to know about.
Getting in a Workout
One of the best benefits of having a garden in the elderly years is getting in a workout. There are numerous senior citizens who aren’t working out or exercising regularly even though studies prove doing so reduces the risk of many diseases and disorders. If your elderly loved one doesn’t really like to workout, suggesting a garden might be the answer. This is a fun hobby that could get your elderly loved one up and moving regularly.
Emotional Benefits
Just about anything you or senior home care providers can do to boost your elderly loved one’s emotions would be good. There are far too many senior citizens who are struggling with depression and anxiety these days. If your elderly loved one is like many other senior citizens, they have worked hard their entire life. Now they deserve to have a happy retirement and lifestyle. Studies show that gardening can boost energy, mood, happiness, joy, and passion.
If your elderly loved one hasn’t started a garden yet, a senior home care provider can drive them to a store to get the basic stuff needed to get going with it.
Better Nutrition
One of the other reasons why your elderly loved one should start gardening is because they can grow their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs. This is a fun way for senior citizens to become healthier. They can try out new vegetables and fruits they haven’t tried before or stick to the ones they know they love. If your elderly loved one enjoys cooking, you or a senior home care provider could help them find recipes with the fruits or veggies they are growing. It might even be fun for your elderly loved one if you or a home care provider helped with their garden.
Conclusion
Has your elderly loved one done any gardening in their elderly years? If they haven’t, you may want to encourage them to do so. Since Covid-19 hit, there are many senior citizens who are taking up gardening as their new hobby and loving it. This may be something that your elderly loved one can enjoy, too. They can grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs to improve their nutrition, boost their mood, and get in a workout.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6977207/#:~:text=Gardening%20requires%20regular%20and%20continuous,diabetes%2C%20depression%20and%20heart%20disease.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Huntley, MT, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Billings today. 406-839-2390
