Hopefully spring will not be that far off. Thoughts are already turning to the garden and what to plant this year. I’m thinking that this may truly be the year of the sunflower. Reading about all of their virtues – it’s surprising that we do not plant more of them in our gardens. The sunflower flower is native to the Americas, along with blueberries, squash and pecans. Sunflowers are a source of food, such as seeds for snacking, grinding the seed for flour or using the oil for cooking. They can be used as dye for coloring clothes a purple color. Sunflowers are also be used medicinally to cure snakebites. Even the stalks can be used as a building material. Best of all – sunflowers just make you feel better. Looking at their happy yellow color can brighten any mood. They remind us of the sun with their bright yellow petals. They are cheery and make great gifts. Sunflowers come in a range of colors from yellow to sunset red. Elf is a great dwarf variety to grow with kids. Look for ones, such as especially good for snacking. Be sure to add them to your list of ‘must have plants’ for the 2012 garden.
It is important to remember that Vitamin D deficiency is under treated for elders. Many older adults spend more time indoors and have inadequate intake of Vitamin D. While Vitamin D supplements are part of the solution; most people meet at least some of their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is produced when ultra violet rays from sunshine meet the skin and trigger Vitamin D synthesis. Elders complaining of unexplained pain, injuries from falls, gait disorders may all be a result of a lack of Vitamin D. We need to create more opportunities for elders to spend time outdoors. Therapeutic Gardens, walking paths, nature trails, community vegetable gardens, bird watching walks, and other outdoor activities and programs will encourage elders to venture outdoors. Spending time in sunlight is vital to their health and well-being. Including benches and areas for socializing encourage people to spend more time outside. It also helps to include activities that elders would find in their neighborhoods such as putting greens, bocce and croquet courts. Settings also include continuing care communities, assisted living communities and Alzheimer’s residences. The season of the year, the time of day, smog, and skin melatonin are among the factors affect Vitamin D synthesis. Cloud cover can reduce the suns potential energy by 50%. Shade reduces Vitamin D intake by 60%. Even though we may enjoy sitting next to a sunny window, the sun’s radiation does not penetrate glass. It is estimated that between 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week is helpful for Vitamin D production. Sunlight is best absorbed when the face, arms and legs are exposed without sunscreen. We need to create stimulating outdoor gardens and environments that encourage elders to spend more time outdoors!
Spring is here and it is so good to be able to spend time outside, especially wandering around the garden to look at all of the plants emerging after those cold winter months. I had the opportunity to visit an Alzheimer’s garden, last week, which was just completed. It was great to be able to sit in the garden and see the Redbud tree and the shrubs and perennials blooming. What was extra special was watching the residents interact with the garden. One gentleman walked around the perimeter of the garden and identified all of the plants. He thought all of the flowering shrubs were hydrangeas. While, in reality, they were Fragrant Spice Viburnum shrubs – it really did not matter. He was pleased to tell the aide walking with him that he had personally planted all of the plants in “his” garden. This and so many other stories validate why the garden is vitally important for elders. The garden is an essential way for people to maintain a connection with the world around them – especially those with memory impairments. The plants are a tool for eliciting conversations and retrieving memories of what a person did in their own garden. The garden is a place where elders can smell the flowers; watch the birds, and all of those everyday things that we all too often take for granted. I would like to hear other stories about how elders with Dementia are enjoying the garden. Please tell me what is happening during spring in your Alzheimer’s garden at jack@designforgenerations.com
On the first day of spring, our thoughts turn to the garden and what we will be growing this year. Researchers at Texas A&M University suggest growing more fruit and vegetables. Over half of the older adults in the U.S. do not consume the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables. The research study, “Growing Minds: Evaluating the Relationship between Gardening and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Older Adults”, shows that gardening can encourage elders to eat more of the good foods. The study has shown that gardeners are more likely to eat more fruit and vegetables as compared to non-gardeners. In addition to improved eating habits, 80 percent of the older adults participating in the research study indicated that they feel better because of their gardening activities. Gardening programs have a positive effect for the health and quality of life for older adults. To view an abstract of the research study, visit: http://horttech.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/20/4/711
Taking a walk in nature can help improve a persons short term memory. We know that nature can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Well, being exposed to natural settings can help to ‘restore’ our ability to concentrate and reflect. A recent research study, “The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature” by Berman, Jonides & Kaplan (Association for Psychological Science, Vol. 19 – No. 12, 2008), indicates that natural areas are restorative. When we are emersed in a natural area, such as a park, the woods, on the beach or similiar places, we can get lost in our surroundings. We do not have to look both ways before crossing the street or if a car is coming in our direction. Our senses focus on the sound of the babbling brook or the birds singing in the trees. The feeling of a cool breeze on our face or the warmth of the sunlight on our back can help us to forget about lifes demands. Spending time in a natural environment will positively affect our memory and attention. The concept of ‘attention restoration theory’ offers the idea that natural settings can help us to be able to relax. When our stress levels are reduced, we can concentrate better and our memory improves. This is especially important if we removed from contact with nature. Taking advantage of a neighborhood park or other natural settings is good for our health and well being.
The NPR program “Talk of the Nation” this afternoon, April 2, focused on the Green House Program with Dr. Bill Thomas. Dr. Thomas discussed the many benefits of the ‘Green House’ communities, one of which is that people remain “in contact with nature and the smell of the outdoors.” The Green House web site indicates a goal to help “elders and others enjoy excellent quality of life and quality of care; where they, their families, and the staff engage in meaningful relationships built on equality, empowerment, and mutual respect.” The link to the NPR program Talk of the nation and the interview with Dr. Thomas is at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?verified=true&storyId=102656673#commentBlock I have visited the Green House in Lincoln, Nebraska and it is a very special place. The design of the house is to foster independence and help eliminate lonliness and boredom. The link to the Tabitha Green House Program is at: http://www.tabitha.org/services/campus_services/greenhouse_project.html One of the many important aspects of the Green House residences is the easy access to the outdoor environment. Elders can easily walk out the back door onto the patio and spend time talking with other residents or gardening. They can sit on the front porch and watch all that happens in the neighborhood. There is a great need to focus attention on creating appropriate outdoor environments for older adults and all of the activities that they will enjoy. Outdoor areas, such as patios, decks, vegetable gardens, butterfly gardens, etc. are as important as any of the interior rooms of a residence. There should be a seamless transition, visually and physically, between the interior and exterior areas of a home.
Recent research conducted at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden indicates that remaining socially engaged and maintaining a positive outlook can help reduce the risk of developing dementia. “Our findings suggest that having a calm and outgoing personality in combination with a socially active lifestyle may decrease the risk of developing dementia even further”, as described by the studies author Hui-Xin Wang, Ph.D. The study appears in the January 20, 2009 issue of the Journal Neurology. This leads to the question of how to help people stay socially engaged. Having hobbies, expanding interests, maintaining relationships all go a long way to staying healthy. Creating environments that positively support a persons interaction with others are vital to their health and well-being. This applies to outdoor as well as indoor settings. The value of nature cannot be over emphasized. It is one things to be able to move about your home. It is as equally as important to be able to go next door and visit with the neighbors, to walk into town to pick up groceries for dinner or to attend a social event at church or other venues. The research validates what we know inherently know to be true. Our connection to the community positively impacts all aspects of our lives.
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Design For Generations, LLC
Jack Carman F.A.S.L.A.
92 Tallowood Drive
Medford NJ 08055
Voice – 609-953-5881
Fax – 609-953-1625
jack@designforgenerations.com
www.designforgenerations.com
