One of the questions asked at the end of a lecture at the Leading Age Conference involved the maintenance of a Therapeutic Garden. The person asked if these gardens require more to maintain than other gardens. They were interested in reducing on- going maintenance in a garden. The simple answer is that all gardens require maintenance, however, if properly designed, gardens can require lower maintenance. A few suggestions to help reduce the care and maintenance of a garden include: Select plants that do not require frequent pruning Include indigenous plants – they will require less water and are suited for the region Limit the amount of annuals (plants that grow for just one season) and include more perennials Space plants closer together so they fill out sooner Eliminate plants that require constant pruning, such as hedges Organize gardening groups to help maintain the garden – it is good exercise and a way to stay socially engaged Plan special events to include garden ‘work’ parties Solicit the involvement of garden clubs, master gardeners and other interested people Hold classes in the garden to teach others gardening basics Create an endowment for the care and maintenance of the garden These are a few of the basic ideas for helping to reduce the maintenance of the garden and a way to get others involved. A good design at the beginning insures that the garden gets off to a good start and improves its chances for success. Strategies to develop garden partners can help can reduce the maintenance burden on staff.
Take the time today to pause for a few minutes to acknowledge June 21st as the longest day of the year. This is also the official start of the summer season. So, take a moment to celebrate nature. I encourage you to have lunch outside or walk in the park. Maybe go for a bike ride this evening. Open yourself to the benefits of nature, today, and every day this summer!
Reports indicate that Vitamin D deficiency is under-recognized and under treated for elders. This partly due to the fact that older adults spend more time indoors and have inadequate intake of Vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements are one part of the solution; however, 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. Studies suggest that Vitamin D deficiency is the cause of the ‘bone-wasting’ disease Osteoporosis. Elders complaining of unexplained pain, injuries from falls, gait disorders may all be a result of a lack of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is easily remedied if we simply create more opportunities for elders to spend time outdoors. This applies to elders living in all communities, including senior communities, assisted living facilities and Alzheimer’s residences. Creating Therapeutic Gardens, walking paths, community vegetable gardens and other outdoor garden areas will encourage elders to venture outdoors. Spending time in sunlight is vital to their health and well-being. By providing benches, people spend more time outside and socialize. It also helps to include activities that people would find in their neighborhoods such as putting greens, bocce and croquet courts. It is important to remember that the season of the year, the time of day, smog, and skin melatonin are among the factors that 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. And the sunlight is absorbed best when the face, arms and legs are exposed without sunscreen. We need to create stimulating outdoor gardens and outdoor environments that encourage elders to spend more time outdoors in the sunshine – starting this spring!
Reading a recent article “Taking Tree-Hugging to New Heights” by Benjamin Percy in the Wall Street Journal (10-16-10), I cannot help but think that this childhood sport will only continue to grow. The article describes the tree climbing program in Eugene, Oregon where you can not only climb trees but spend the night. As the article so aptly puts it “tree climbing has become a vacation destination due to some childish nostalgia, eco-awareness and an appreciation of spider-like thrill of swinging from ropes.” The mind wanders to the Boomers and how they are helping to fuel this and other eco-pursuits. The idea of climbing trees, in this context, is meant more for the adventure of the sport as well as to be able to re-live childhood activities. We can expect to see more of these things “nature pursuits” being incorporated into all kinds of programs as the Boomers move closer to more free time and disposable income. The Morris Arboretum recently opened the “Out on a Limb’ exhibit in which you can spend time elevated in the trees high above the ground – www.morrisarboretum.org If you want to attract more of the environmentally conscious older adults, consider incorporating, not just tree climbing activities. How about a big tree house that you can actually spend time in and spend the night in? Maybe the grand kids will want to visit and have a sleep over with you in the tree house. We need to explore the ways in which we can create environments that enable people to get closer to and be a part of nature. Some sites to visit include pacifictreeclimbing.com for information on tree climbing adventures in the US. If you have been yearning to stay overnight in a tree house, visit www.treehotel.se to see where you can sleep up in the trees. To read more from the article in the WSJ, visit http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703467004575464073401007574.html?mod=WSJ_ArtsEnt_Travel
The question of why we are attracted to water may be a bit obvious for some. However, we all too often take water for granted. It is, for the most part, easily accessible and abundant. We are connected to water in so many ways. In fact, we are as humans on average 75 percent water. The earths surface is 70 percent water. This investigation of why we are attracted to water is, in part, preparation for an upcoming presentation on water and horticultural therapy. We ARE attracted to water, that is obvious. Whether it is a lake, ocean or a man made water feature, we feel compelled to interact on some level. All of our senses are heightened and respond in different ways. The smell of ozone when it rains or the melodic sounds of waves crashing on the beach are just a few of the reactions water elicits. Who is not interested in a water pistol fight on a hot summer’s day. Watch children (and those still young at heart) who cannot resist playing in a fountain. A preliminary search of current literature and research findings indicate that there are emotional responses caused when water touches our skin, much like someone holding our hand. When someone holds our hand, the brain releases the hormone Oxytocin, which promotes a feeling of devotion and trust. The Orbital Front Cortex of the brain responds to sweet tastes and pleasant odors. The smell of the air when it begins to rain or the salt spray from the ocean can trigger a positive emotional response. The next time you pass a water fountain in a park or shopping mall, stop and pay attention. How does it make you feel? What are the reactions experienced by others. Do you or others have a tendency to touch the water. Does the sound of the running water as it splashes onto the hard surface make you slow down and watch? Your blood pressure should be reduced and hopefully a sense of calm may be present, even for a short while. Begin to make a mental note of these reactions.
The current issue of Garden Design magazine (Jul/Aug 2010) has a great article on Healing Gardens and the work of Clare Cooper Marcus. This is a definite read for anyone who has an interest in the healing powers of gardens and why nature can play an important role in the healing process. The article chronicles the work of Ms. Cooper Marcus and how she has been a leader in helping to define how these spacial gardens should be designed. Ms. Cooper Marcus talks about how healing gardens should be as much, if not more, about plants and less about creating abstract designs. The gardens should “provide a sense that you are in a garden and not a plaza or indoors.” The garden, as Clare explains in the article, should be designed to include four essential elements: exercise, social support, a sense of control and a distraction of nature. These and other important design ideas are discussed in the article. The article may be found in the magazine starting on page 73 and additional information at the web site www.gardendesign.com
British researchers looked at ten various studies on the effects of activities performed outside in nature. Activities such as walking, cycling and gardening had positive effects on the 1,200 people surveyed. According to Jo Barton, co-author of the study, “There would be a large potential benefit if people were to self-medicate more with green exercise.” The largest positive health changes occurred when people exercised in the outdoors. The article, “What is the Beat Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health” can be found at the link http://pubs.acs.org/stoken/presspac/presspac/full/10.1021/es903183r
We lose muscle as we age. This is a fact. As we get older, our muscles shrink. However, we do not have to sit back and think that there is nothing we can do about it. Exercise can reverse this trend. The old adage, ‘use it or lose it’ takes on even more significance. A story on NPR’s Morning Edition today talks about the studies that are being conducted to show how exercise can help people build new muscle at any age. People in their 80’s who exercise with weights, as an example, increase muscle and get stronger. (A link to the story is below). So, how does this translate to the garden? When we are outside moving a wheel barrow that is filled with tools or soil, we are in fact weight training. Digging holes for new plants, trimming shrubs, cutting branches, sweeping the walk, moving garden furniture, raking the lawn incorporate bending, stretching, reaching, and other movements that are good for us. The tools we are using act as weights and we are doing two things at the same time. We are working in our garden and simultaneously exercising in a very soothing gym. The result is that we are all rebuilding muscle that has been lost to a natural occurrence called aging. We are also creating a beautiful environment that we can all enjoy. The garden is therapeutic. We can classify this aspect of gardening as good for our health. The activities listed above, and so many more, can be performed by people at any age. This is the active part of using the garden. We are creating gardens that we can look at and feel good about. We are also creating gardens in which we can exercise and improve our health. The link to the NPR 2-22-10 story can be found at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123887823
February 2nd is the day when a (nearly) famous groundhog emerges to see his shadow. If he does in fact see his shadow, it signals six more weeks of winter. (Even if he does not see his shadow – there are still six more weeks of winter.) It is a day of parties and merriment in Punxsutawney, PA. You may recall the movie with Bill Murray – Groundhog Day. It was actually Germans immigrants who brought along their tradition of celebrating the midpoint of winter. They did were not able to find any badgers in PA and had to use the groundhog to carry on the tradition. It is a day that signifies that we have reached the halfway mark in winter. The hibernating animals are beginning to stir in their underground nests. I think that is how we all are feeling. The sun’s light is getting a little longer each day and the warmth of the it’s rays feels good on our skin. We can almost taste the days of spring ahead. There are a few other signs to look for, such as the snow drops and crocus beginning to emerge from the ground. The bods of the flowering trees start to swell. I saw a few hostas peaking through a sheltered part of the garden last week. These feelings that we have a real and remind us of our connection to nature. We start to look through catalogs and plan our garden. The Philadelphia Flower Show, the largest indoor flower show in the world, is attended by over 250,000 people. They are hungry for a taste of spring – even if it is literally forced. So, take heart, spring is not all that far away. The groundhog and other indicators remind us that we are half way there.
Good news! We made it through the shortest day of the year, yesterday, December 21st. This day marks the midpoint of the year, which occurred at 5:47 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time (12:47 Eastern Standard Time). The Winter Solstice has the least amount of sunlight and the longest night during the year. In all actuality, the sun’s rise will continue to occur later through the month of January, while sunsets will occur later in the evening. This all seems to balance out as the amount of day light each day begins to lengthen. This demarcation of the middle of winter was very important for our ancestors who had to meter out their food to survive the long winters. Feasts and celebrations were held during this time as a way of marking the event. Religious holidays occur at this time of year. This time of year is also symbolic as the start of a new year and the hopes for good things to come. Midwinter also affects us individually. The shorter days mean that our bodies produce more melatonin, which offsets our circadian rhythms. We want to sleep longer during these winter months. Exposure to sunlight is one of the best and most effective ways to help balance our circadian rhythms. Taking a walk during the day may be one of the best way to help balance our bodies natural cycles. So, make a resolution to walk more. Find a friend to walk with. The companionship and socialization will help spur you on. Walking is the easiest and least costly form of exercise that we can do, at any age. Dr. Weil has information on what to consider when setting out for a walk. Visit the “Ask Dr. Weil” Tip of the Day at the website: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03545/Healthy-Habits-Walking.html Enjoy!
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