Whether you’re holding onto summer kicking and screaming and refuse to let go, or eagerly embracing autumn, this month delight in the simple pleasures that your therapeutic garden continues to provide. As the early evenings begin to get cooler, head outside to pick ingredients to whip up a quick and simple fresh salsa. The explosion of taste from using homegrown food will make you wonder why you’ve never done this before. Also, the brighter flavors of garden-fresh produce will help to combat the diminished ability to taste that is so common among seniors. As the Mayo Clinic, and others, have noted, when people begin to lose their sense of taste it negatively impacts their quality of life. Often a diminished ability to taste leads to a loss of appetite and poor nutrition, as people eat less or begin to add excess salt and sugar to their food in an attempt to draw out flavor. The elderly can find joy and connection by participating in the garden harvest, too, despite physical or mental limitations they may have. From identifying which tomatoes to choose, to picking cilantro, or mixing the finished product, the experience of converting garden produce to culinary wonder offers many stages of engagement for all who participate. One quick and easy salsa recipe from food.com can be found here: http://fd.cm/1hDamTf. Look around your therapeutic garden for simple opportunities to harvest. If you have an abundance of mint, consider making sun tea with mint leaves. For basil, make pesto. If your tomatoes are still green, consider Jack Carman’s tasty recipe for fried green tomatoes. September is the time to reap what you sowed.
Don’t head indoors to avoid the dog days of summer. Instead, transform your therapeutic healing garden into an inviting, cooler oasis that continues to serve as a destination for residents and families. We depend on nature to keep us cool, naturally. The sound and movement of both air and water will drive down the temperature – or the perceived temperature – in your garden, creating a refreshing space that people continue to enjoy despite the heat of the summer. The nonprofit Trees Forever captured stunning results during a 2010 temperature-measuring experiment designed to quantify the impact of trees’ shade. Program manager Meredith Borchardt explained, “The most dramatic temperature difference came from a reading taken by volunteers on top of a picnic table. The tabletop was a scorching 144 degrees in the sun, but only 89 degrees on the shaded part. That’s a whopping 55 degree temperature difference!” In addition to creating shade by blocking the sun’s rays, the trees’ leaves give off moisture, which helps to cool the air. This movement of water from plants, water bodies and soil back into the air is an important part of the water cycle called evapotranspiration. Hearing the rustling of leaves also signals the air’s movement to the brain, giving the listener the sense of feeling cooler. The sound from water features triggers the impression of feeling cooler as well, much like the sound of air movement. From the simple to the elaborate, water features could include a multi-tiered bird bath, a self-contained overflowing rock fountain or even a small waterfall that flows into a fish pond. Garden embellishments such as cabanas, ceiling fans and wind chimes can create similar effects, albeit without Mother Nature. Including softer colors in the garden, such as the pastels found in coneflowers or the contrasting greens of ornamental grasses, is another way to add to the illusion of a cooler environment. If possible, to feel refreshed we also suggest drinking a cool glass of lemonade while enjoying the dog days of summer from your therapeutic healing garden.
While sometimes overlooked by care teams, a diminished sense of smell negatively impacts quality of life for elderly people. Without valuable sensory input from our noses, the world is a much different place, lacking liveliness and becoming muted. While scientists once thought that humans could detect 10,000 distinct smells, with newer technology they have recently discovered that humans can, in fact, detect over one trillion scents. Although the body renews scent cells every 30 to 60 days, age diminishes the ability for the body to replace these cells. According to a 2006 article in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “More than 75% of people over the age of 80 years have evidence of major olfactory impairment.” In addition to age, medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Bell’s palsy and Parkinson’s disease contribute to olfactory impairment. When included in a therapeutic healing garden, residents can rely on strategically placed, strongly scented nontoxic plants to serve as sensory cue reference points. The plants remind them of their location, giving them the confidence to be as independent as possible as they enjoy the garden. Likewise, incorporating these plants also helps to trigger memories of days gone by. The slightly spicy scent of basil may elicit fond memories of cooking homemade tomato sauce. The sweet smell of lilacs may awaken memories of a long-ago childhood home. In addition to triggering memories, scented plants help to connect residents to the world around them today. Lining walkways with now-popular plants such as chocolate mint and pineapple sage give residents and guests the opportunity to brush up against the plants, or reach down and grab the leaves, releasing wafts of scent through the air. Choosing boldly scented plants such as these helps to overcome some of the elderly’s olfactory impairment, giving them the opportunity to smell the world around them once again. While “stop and smell the roses” may be a cliché, the sentiment is based on sound science: our sense of smell contributes to quality of life, and should be considered when building a therapeutic healing garden.
Color creates moments of joy and contentment. The pull of color is a strong one; when people notice pops of red or orange color outside through a window, their natural inclination is to seek out that color. Getting residents, and their caregivers and visitors, outside amongst these vibrant colors helps to promote healing and a sense of wellbeing.
Understanding the emotional and psychological benefits of healing gardens, the nursing home where Mary lived featured a beautiful, lush outdoor space filled with trees, flowers and water. Nonverbal and living with Alzheimer’s, Mary’s caregiver gently took her by the elbow to guide her outside to enjoy the spring day from the garden’s patio. Standing next to the garden’s water feature, a self-contained unit that recirculates water and is safe for residences with dementia patients, Mary turned to her caregiver after a few minutes, with a smile on her face, simply stated, “Isn’t that beautiful,” – the first words she had spoken in over a year. Quite frankly, water reaches people in ways that nature’s other elements simply cannot. We intuitively find water soothing. It reduces stress and promotes healing, both physically and psychologically. While middle aged adults seek quiet in gardens, older adults tend to respond more to stimulating environments, according to a 2009 study from Susan Rodiek of Texas A&M. Featuring water as an integral part of your therapeutic garden is one way to meet the emotional needs of these older adults. Then, they could listen to water bubbling out of a fountain or feel a cool mist from a small pond gently brush their face. More fully engaging people’s senses through the use of water helps to immerse them in their experience, allowing them to reap even more benefits from your therapeutic garden.
Go ahead, get dirty. Despite your mother’s reprimands when you were a child, getting your hands dirty is actually good for you.
We need to include plants that offer food and habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. The NY Times Op Ed today by Doug Tallamy offers an important message. There are also therapeutic benefits by attracting nature into our gardens.
When we first spring ahead to Daylight Saving Time, many of us can’t say we have much “spring” in our step. While Daylight Saving Time disrupts our circadian rhythm, our natural 24 hour wake-sleep cycle, introducing sunlight and darkness at the newly appropriate times trains your body to adjust to the new schedule. Light suppresses your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone which causes you to feel sleepy. Rather than grumbling through those first few days, bleary-eyed and in search of coffee, use sunlight as a more effective tool to help reset your body’s internal clock. On Sunday morning, force yourself to wake up at the “new” time and throw open the curtains to let in the first rays of sunrise. Get outside for as long as you can, whether that means taking a walk around the block or exploring the yard with the grandkids to see what Mother Nature is up to as she unveils her intentions for early spring. When night begins to fall, fight the urge to use artificial light to keep your day going. Dim the lights to cue to your body that it’s time to wind down. Power down the electronic devices, too. Light from TVs and tablets are still perceived by your brain to be sources of light that tell the body, “It’s time to be awake.” Research suggests that it’s tougher for night owls to adjust to Daylight Saving Time.* While early birds may once again feel like their chipper selves come Monday morning, those naturally wired to stay up later may still approach their work week groggily. Avoid the temptation to overload on caffeine. Instead, repeat the sunlight approach. When you pull up to the office on Monday, park farther away so that you’re exposed to sunshine just a bit longer as you walk to the doors. Go outside midday for a quick stretch, or if it’s warm enough, a bite to eat outside. Make the effort to adjust, and your body will respond – just, perhaps, a bit more slowly when compared to those early birds. With a bit of planning, resetting your internal clock using natural sunlight will help to ease your body into its new daily routine. Spring is on its way and, with it, longer days to enjoy time in the garden to work or relax. * (Kantermann, T; Juda, M; Merrow, M; Roenneberg, T (2007). “The human circadian clock’s seasonal adjustment is disrupted by daylight saving time”. Current biology 17 (22): 1996–2000.)
The restorative powers of nature are evident in the homes presented in this article in the WSJ. This is just another way to experience nature ‘up close and personal.’ http://www.wsj.com/articles/luxury-homes-with-windows-on-the-wild-1422550796
Just watched a great TED Talk on “Window farms”. This TED Talk focuses on how RND-I-Y can be used to inspire people to grow their own food, on their windows, throughout the year. There are a wide range of possibilities. Let me know what you think. http://www.ted.com/playlists/224/grow_your_own_stuff?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2015-01-24&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_content=playlist_button
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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
