Trees!  We all know that they provide shade and give us great fall colors.  Did you know that they do so much more for us, like improving our health and keeping us cool, especially during the hot summer days. Here are few thoughts on the therapeutic value of trees and why we should sit under, watch, and plant more trees: Feel better sooner – Something as simple as a view of trees can improve recovery time, reduce stress and lower our blood pressure Lower temps – Trees can keep us cooler by evapotranspiration. The space under a shade tree is up to 8 degrees cooler. And, if there is breeze, it can feel even cooler The proximity of trees can improve our mental health and improve concentration Bio-philic response – We feel better watching the wildlife that use trees as habitat and food, which helps to maintain our connection to nature Cleaner air – Trees purify the air that we breath by absorbing carbon monoxide and give back oxygen Creativity – Our creativity improves by just being around trees, just ask Joyce Kilmer and so many other writers and poets who extole the benefits of trees Self-esteem – Trees can help improve spatial awareness and help people regain a sense of self (fine research) Increased focus – Looking at trees can improve our concentration (Francis & Kuo) Lose weight – We tend to move more when we are around trees, resulting in more exercise Brighten our day – Birds sitting in trees sing out to other birds creating wonderful melodies for us to listen to as we spend time outside. Some doctors are prescribing spending time in a park. The National Rx Program has been promoting walks in a park for our health and well-being. Find a local park and conduct your own research. Let me know if you feel better after spending time sitting, looking and just absorbing the health benefits that a tree has to offer.

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It behooves the older adults in your life for you to embrace a cheery, “Rise and shine!” approach to your therapeutic landscape garden this February. While frigid days don’t usually elicit such a response, the benefits of sunshine are especially keen during these mid-winter months. Exposure to sunshine spurs the body to produce both serotonin and vitamin D, which impact emotional and physical health. In North America, the optimal time for 15 minutes of winter sun exposure each day is between noon and 2 p.m. During this time the angle of the sun is such that it hits the retina in a way that triggers the release of serotonin. Direct sunlight on the arms, hands and face just a few times a week is enough to cue the body to produce vitamin D. Health benefits of sunshine include: lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improved skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, strengthened immune system, and improved depression and lower frequencies of SAD (seasonal affective disorder, “the winter blues.”) However, facts alone won’t get people outside this month. Encourage older adults to venture outdoors by appealing to emotion. Launch a few initiatives that speak to different motivations. A painting class will motivate those interested in keeping New Year’s resolutions to try something new this year, while a walking contest will entice those with competitive streaks. For nurturers, remind them that Mother Nature’s creatures, such as birds, depend on them to keep bird feeders and bird baths full, especially this time of year. Leverage creativity this month to appeal to people on an emotional level, so that the sun may benefit them both body and soul.

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The link between happiness and health in older adults is a strong one. Research shows that people who stay socially connected and engaged live longer, says Jack Carman, president of Design for Generations. Seniors who report lower instances of loneliness are more likely to have healthier hearts, stronger memories and less depression. Your therapeutic garden is an essential tool in helping the older adults in your care to build a sense of community. With that comes social connection and a sense of purpose, two driving forces behind cultivating happiness that leads to stronger health outcomes, both mentally and physically. Think beyond flowers. Carman has worked with communities who leverage their gardens to engage seniors’ brains in entirely new ways. Yes, 75-year-old city dwellers can learn the basics of beekeeping. Our seniors with a strong sense of pride can maintain dignity and autonomy by maintaining a vegetable garden to give produce to staff to take home. With assistance, older adults can help to manage an apple orchard, where in a way they really are living “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Carman finds joy in helping individual communities to brainstorm and plan unique gardens that connect with older adults and their families. Email him at jack@designforgenerations.com to begin planning how your therapeutic garden can resonate more strongly with older adults in your care, as well as with prospective families considering your community.

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Evoke a sense of nostalgia and spur older adults to feel happiness and joy with the addition of one simple plant to your therapeutic garden this July. Researchers in the Netherlands recently found that older adults respond positively and strongly to smelling and tasting mint.

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Love hormones dopamine and serotonin are for more than just inducing feelings of romantic love. In the adult care setting, leveraging your therapeutic garden to boost these feel-good hormones positively impacts the physical and emotional well-being of those whose care is entrusted to you. Encouraging autonomy and sensory stimulation is key to maximizing the benefits of your therapeutic garden. Doing so supports overall health, helping to improve sleep and promote ambulation, while reducing stress. Some studies have also made an association between those who spend time in outdoor green spaces, such as therapeutic gardens, and a reduction in falls and a lessened need for pain medicine. During these winter months, getting people to venture outdoors requires some thoughtful planning. Arrange mid-day activities that capitalize on the warmth of the sun and center around creativity or movement, both of which spur the natural production of dopamine and serotonin. A few activities to consider hosting in your garden: Live music: partner with a school to bring in students to perform A sponge painting stationery class A modified exercise class focused on stretching and flexibility, using men’s neckties for resistance and movement Activities such as these create reasons for older adults to head outside to your garden, where they will produce love hormones that improve their physical and emotional well-being this winter.

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By the time mid-January rolls around, we’ve boxed away the last decorative remnants of the holiday season, and yet we still have two more months of winter ahead. It’s the perfect time to head out to your therapeutic garden to enjoy the sunshine. Oh, we hear your protests. We know it’s cold. In fact, in some areas, we know it’s downright freezing. However, the pros outweigh the cons. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) report that in North America, the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) increases with latitude. Our friends in New Hampshire experience SAD at a rate of 9.7%, whereas just 1.4% of sunny Floridians report SAD. Older adults grew up in a different time period, one that did not yet focus on mental health the way that we do today. The older adults in your care may not be familiar with the term seasonal affective disorder, nor recognize that they are in its grips. The NIH shares that 60% to 80% of people affected by SAD benefit from light therapy. In many cases, as few as two to four days of light therapy can positively impact those suffering from SAD. To experience the full benefits, 30 to 90 minutes of natural sun exposure is needed each day, preferably morning sun. This January, create opportunities that encourage older adults to venture out into your therapeutic garden. Three simple ideas include: 1)  A post-breakfast garden planning meeting. Now is the time that catalogs begin to roll in, showcasing next year’s plants and garden ornamental elements. Involve seniors in reviewing the catalogs, examining your garden in its winter state, and making planning suggestions for spring. 2)  Organize a hot tea sampler party. Feature a variety of flavors of hot tea and invite seniors to taste test and discuss their thoughts on each tea. 3)  A post-lunch stroll. Create a lightly competitive environment that motivates seniors to take a daily stroll through the garden. Encourage the development of personal goals or social ones, for seniors to compete either against themselves or others. Measure success by keeping track of the length of time each person strolls in the garden. Award weekly prizes, whether it’s a plant clipping or writing winners’ names on a chalkboard displayed in the garden. With planning and encouragement – and, not to mention, some warm clothes in which to bundle up – spending time in your therapeutic garden this January can improve both the physical and emotional well-being of older adults in your care.

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By Jack Carman, FASLA, RLA and Nancy Carman, MA, CMC / Blueprints for Senior Living newsletter, October 2016 It is a well-known fact that spending time outside in nature is good for us. Instinctively we have always known this. We heard it from our parents when we were growing up, and we tried to escape whenever we could to play outside. It is only lately that research has come to light that validates what we inherently know. All the better: Because sometimes we just need to see the facts to motivate us. The evidence is a clear message that it is important to maintain a youthful connection to nature as we mature. Nature is synonymous for a wellness prescription regardless of our age. Cornell University in Ithaca, NY now offers a freshman course, “Take it Outside.” The course focuses on students going outside and exploring the gorges and other green spaces around the campus. Horticulture professor, Don Rakow believes that “it simply makes sense to use the environment that is naturally available to us to better our own health.” These benefits include decreasing depression, helping to reduce anxiety and offering a fresh perspective for students as well as faculty. Taking walks outside in the garden, the neighborhood, or better yet in the park, will result in better health. Dr. Robert Sallis, a family physician at Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center in California has prescribed exercise for his patients for over 25 years. “If I could get them to do it (exercise on a regular basis, even just walking, anything that got their heart rates up a bit) I would see dramatic improvements in their chronic disease.” And this applies to older adults, as well!  Weight bearing exercises improve bone density. A study of a group of nurses found that simply walking a total of four hours a week reduced their risk of a hip fracture by 41%. Physicians in England are encouraging patients to work in the garden. Outdoor areas are turned into gardens so patients can grow fruits and vegetables. Brockwell Park Surgery in South London has partnered with Lambeth GP Food Co-operative to grow more local produce. A lot of the patients are older adults who many times are socially isolated. Those who experience prolonged loneliness are at an increased risk of dying sooner than those who have regular socialization. According to Ed Rosen, director of the program, “It creates the opportunity for breaking down barriers between clinical staff and patients because they’re all going out and getting their hands dirty and growing food together.” Speaking of getting your hands dirty, certain bacteria (Mycobacterium vaccae) that are found in the soil can activate specific neurons in the brain to produce serotonin. This is the chemical that regulates mood. According to a study by the University of Bristol and colleagues at University College London, this soil bacteria can help to reduce depression and make us feel better, maybe for as long as three weeks. So, activities, such as gardening, can have a positive effect on our mood and on our mental health overall. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! Time Magazine in a recent article, “The New Science of Exercise” highlighted studies pointing to exercise as a way to prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Scientists are studying how exercise alters the way the brain functions. The research is beginning to show that exercise can improve blood flow to the brain, which in turn increases the growth of new blood vessels and brain cells. According to Dr. Marcus Bamman, an exercise physiologist, “Exercise is regenerative medicine – restoring and repairing and basically fixing things that are broken.” A study conducted by Gregory Bratman, Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford University, has shown that walks in the park can sooth the mind and positively alter mental health. The results of the research indicate that people who walk through a lush, green natural environment are “more attentive and happier.” Walking outside in nature keeps us focused on the world around us. Watching trees change with the season maintains our connection to the larger world. “Trees are linked to our emotions…they provide smells, sights and touch and change over the year…that cycle of life can be very meaningful for us”, says Dr. Miles Richardson, a nature connection psychologist who has conducted surveys with 2,000 people. Roger Ulrich, Ph.D., Texas A&M University has described nature as a ‘Positive Distraction.’ Nature has the ability of taking our mind off of our ills. People who spend time outside, in a garden, walking in a park or being part of some form of the natural environment, can easily get ‘lost’ in nature. Nature offers a quiet fascination that cannot be replicated by electronic devices or other man-made means. It accepts us for who we are. That is why it is so important that we provide the opportunity for people to maintain this connection to the natural world as they age– for their health and quality of life.

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Shading people and plants from the direct rays of the fierce July sun help to protect the health and wellbeing of both. Creating a shaded, welcoming oasis this month will coax older adults and their caregivers into continuing to enjoy your therapeutic garden, even as the summer temperatures soar. The eyes of older adults take an average of five to eight minutes to fully adjust to outside light, making it that much more important to offer shaded areas that take into account their diminished visual acuity. Improving the physical comfort of your older adults encourages them to get outside and connect with the world around them as they continue using your garden. Although mature, well-established deciduous trees offer the strongest shelter from the sun, a plethora of options exist to build a soothing, cooler garden. Consider adding canopies, pergolas or shade sails to serve both as shields and as aesthetic focal points that encourage socialization and relaxation. The structures will reduce the surface temperature of nearby benches and other seated areas, turning hot summer spaces into places of tranquility. A ceiling fan slowly swirling circulates and cools the air, while also creating the psychological sensation of cooler weather. In addition, plants in general contribute to pulling humidity out of the air (by means of water evaporation), changing people’s perception of the temperature. Climbing vines against brick or concrete walls, moss covered stones and the sounds of water from nearby water structures all trigger the impression of cooler temperatures. Shade will transform your therapeutic healing garden into an inviting, cooler oasis that continues to serve as a destination for residents and families throughout the summer.  

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  Self-professed “brown thumbs” with little interest in gardening can still reap cognitive, emotional and physical rewards from your therapeutic garden. The key is to offer older adults opportunities to immerse themselves in the environment of the therapeutic garden. When hosting social activities, strive to organize events that are inclusive to those with interests outside of gardening. In the midst of your therapeutic garden, develop opportunities to improve physical strength, vitality and emotional health. To your advantage, the summer months are on your side, allowing you to rely on the warmer temperatures and longer days to draw people outdoors. Five recreational activities to consider: Outdoor yoga or tai chi – strengthens balance, strength and flexibility Meditation – reduces stress and improves concentration Painting – boosts creativity and gives a sense of purpose Making summer cocktails – promotes socialization and uses herbs grown in the garden Book clubs – offer intellectual stimulation and a sense of community The benefits of therapeutic gardens extend far beyond those who consider themselves “green-thumbed.” Recreational activities held in the therapeutic garden produce a positive impact on older adults, both physically and mentally, thanks to the sunshine, fresh air and foliage.  

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