Implementing universal design elements into your therapeutic garden helps to ensure that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy the calming effect, creative outlet and sense of accomplishment that gardening offers.
By thinking creatively and making some simple changes, organizations can boost health and wellness benefits for their constituents.
In many places, mid-May signals the beginning of planting season. The scent of lilacs and honeysuckle perfume the air and seedlings eagerly push through the soil, reaching toward the sun. One thing not typically on the minds of gardeners this time of year is pesky summertime pests such as mosquitoes and flies. But, with some simple advance planning, you can create a therapeutic garden that becomes a boon for your older adults, while a hindrance to insects that not only annoy, but can cause skin irritation and carry disease. Three plants you should consider adding to your garden this May include: Lemon balm. A perennial that is part of the mint family, lemon balm adds a delightful, light fragrance to your garden. The plant contains high levels of citronellal, a compound that bugs will naturally shy away from. One note of caution: this plant loves to spread, so consider planting it in containers. Marigolds. These bright, hardy annuals contain pyrethrum, a natural insect repellent. Marigolds will thrive both in the ground and in containers. Consider planting near doorways and windows, to discourage mosquitoes from coming indoors. Helpful hint: collect the dead flower heads and store in a dry place, for an early spring, do-it-yourself window box planting project with older adults next year. Lavender. Another perennial, lavender thrives in warmer climates and is well-known for its distinctive scent. In addition to repelling insects, the burst of color that the flowers provide can serve as a guide for older adults who are living with diminished visual acuity. Thinking ahead now, while still early in the season, will allow you to reap the natural rewards of a garden that is more pleasant to spend time in this summer.
Produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a propaganda item for World War I, posters urging, “Uncle Sam says garden to cut food costs” sprouted up across our country. During World War II families planted victory gardens to help prevent food shortages. Today we normally associate gardening with improved mental and physical health, not with patriotism. However, the older adults in your care, as well as your employees and visitors, may feel stressed by Uncle Sam as April 15 approaches. Leverage the power of your therapeutic garden to soothe both body and soul this tax season as we all participate in the yearly patriotic ritual of paying taxes. In 2017, we now have over 100 scientific studies across a variety of disciplines that show that gardening and being in nature positively impact people’s wellbeing. Three quick gardening tips to relieve stress this tax season: Expand rest stations in your garden. Reclaimed wood re-purposed as benches add a rustic, artistic touch that invite guests to linger in your therapeutic garden. Create a nature journal class that meets in the garden, to document this year’s growth, starting with the return of our feathered friends and the season’s first blooms. Encourage the gentle exercise and socialization of preparing the garden for the year: gather interested volunteers to weed and prep this year’s flower beds. Direct contact with dirt has been shown to trigger the release of serotonin, elevating mood. Uncle Sam’s presence is universally felt this month across the country. Do your patriotic duty – 2017 style – and improve both the physical and emotional health of those who turn to your therapeutic garden for support.
03/16/2017 – Jared Green Among hospital administrators, there seems to be a growing concern that therapeutic gardens can harbor diseases and spread them to those who have compromised immune systems. There was a case of Legionnaire’s disease spread through a water fountain, and soils can also be a source of some illnesses, but the fears are essentially unfounded, argued a trio of landscape architects at the Environments for Aging conference in Las Vegas. Good design and maintenance can eliminate the risks. Leah Diehl, director of therapeutic horticulture, the Greenhouse at Wilmot Gardens, college of medicine at the University of Florida, said landscape architects should use “evidence-based knowledge to counter fears.” The evidence points to the incredible health benefits of being in nature. As such, the proven health benefits of “seeing, hearing, touching water” found in a fountain — such as reduced stress, lower heart rates and blood pressures, and an increased sense of tranquility — outweigh the near-zero chance of catching something. In terms of soils, yes, there are toxic bacteria that naturally occur in the mix, but there’s also mycobacterium vaccae, which some scientists think can play a role in reducing the effects of depression and anxiety. For landscape architect Brian Bainnson, ASLA, “proper design can disrupt the process of infection.” For an infection to occur, there needs to be a pathogen, a susceptible host, and a mode of transmission. He argued that the Legionella bacteria, which causes Legionnaire’s disease, is more often spread through HVAC systems, spas, and jacuzzis than fountains. He said a “lack of maintenance allows the pathogen to grow.” He also said “there is no documented evidence of an infection from a healthcare garden.” For a healing garden at the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, he designed a water feature with an integrated design team of physicians, therapists, hospital administrators, and maintenance workers to ensure there was no standing water when the fountain is off, and that patients can’t easily touch the water (see image at top). “Removing standing water is also good for vector control,” meaning it reduces places where mosquitoes can breed. For another garden in the oncology ward of a hospital, Bainnson recommended administrators install Ultraviolet (UV) or flouridation systems to ensure the water is clean. It’s important in these instances to work with the maintenance staff to make sure those filters are tested and cleaned regularly. For him, “the benefits of the fountains are too high, and they should outweigh any perceived risks.” Diehl offered other examples: the Evanston Hospital in Illinois, which has a three-story fountain wall that ends in a pool, use sand filtration and chlorination and tests regularly to ensure the highest levels of water quality. And at the Glenbrook Hospital, also in Illinois, there is an entire water management team charged with infection control that tests the water in their fountains each month. Jack Carman, FASLA, a landscape architect who focuses on senior care facilities, talked about the potential dangers of flora in therapeutic gardens, arguing that “not all plants are safe.” He said when using a plant in a healthcare setting, it’s important to know if “it’s toxic and highly injurious.” It can get complicated because some plants may be only mildly toxic, or both medicinal or toxic depending on the interaction. For example, juniper has a medicinal use but its berries are toxic in large amounts. And some other plants are questionable, like daffodils, which are safe, but have toxic bulbs. But there are some straight-out dangerous plants, like Foxglove, that shouldn’t be in therapeutic gardens. “Also, azaleas and rhododendrons don’t belong in a garden for Alzheimer’s patients.” Plants with extremely sharp edges, like hollies, or thorns, like rose bushes, obviously shouldn’t be found near where anyone is walking.
Leverage the iconic sounding happy chirps of the American robin this March to improve the physical and emotional wellbeing of older adults in your care. Each spring, American robins play a bit of an early April Fool’s joke. These feathered friends seemingly announce their return from their winter migration with their well-known sing-songy chirps. The truth is, however, that robins do not migrate. That’s right: these fluffy red-breasted birds live across the United States year round. So why do we typically recognize their “return” as the first sign of spring? Once the ground begins to thaw, robins – ravenous after a long winter of shivering to stay warm and subsisting on berries – hop out of their treetop perches to forage for food with substance: worms and insects. This March, entice American robins to visit your garden. If providing platefuls of mealworms or earthworms has too much of an “ick” factor for you, consider instead consistently offering a water source to quench their thirst. The robins will quickly learn to visit your garden, serenading your residents and guests with their song. A known mood booster, listening to bird songs has been shown to reduce stress and attention fatigue, while lowering blood pressure. A small 2015 study out of the United Kingdom has even found that the restorative effect of listening to birdsongs also improves cognitive function. Now is the time to teach your feathered neighbors that your therapeutic garden should be their go-to destination this spring. One last tip: American robins do not eat birdseed. They do, however, welcome raisins or berries that are past their prime.
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.
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.
As we reflect on the year that is nearing completion and begin to look forward the new year just ahead, many people are moved to give gifts to those around them. These gifts represent gratitude and kinship. They give nod to our relationships, acknowledging the importance of those around us.
With the change of season and the holidays emerging, many find that November induces a natural contemplative state of gratitude. People begin to reflect on relationships and seek connection with others. Position your therapeutic garden to be the central hub for activities related to appreciation and reflection this month. Keep your garden bright, with colors of changing foliage and seasonal blooms such as mums, as well as with soft lighting to address the waning sunlight and shorter days. Doing so will encourage others to see your garden as accessible and relevant, despite the cooler weather. You will likely find older adults and their caregivers strolling through your garden, as they are naturally drawn to a quieter environment for contemplation, self-inventory and rejuvenation. To aid older adults in a softer form of social connection, consider hosting a morning meditation group or gratitude journal session in the garden. Both of these activities capture the spirit of gratitude and reflection during this season. Simple craft activities are a fun way to inspire creativity and connection, as well. Mid-morning gatherings capture the essence of togetherness in a low-pressure environment designed to allow people to connect with both nature and each other. One easy craft activity is to gather brightly colored autumn leaves and then glue the preserved leaves to construction paper. Depending on the size and shape of the paper, and the leaves themselves, the creation could serve as either a bookmark or a place mat. We recommend preserving leaves using the wax paper method: Place a leaf between two sheets of wax paper Place a cloth hand towel on top of the uppermost wax paper. Press on the towel with a warm iron for approximately two minutes. Flip the wax/leaf to the other side; press on the towel with a warm iron for approximately two minutes on this side, as well. Use scissors to cut around the leaf, which is now sealed in the wax paper. Keeping older adults engaged with your therapeutic garden this month will capture the spirit of the season, through tranquility and social connection.
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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
