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Gardening for healthy ageing
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The benefits of gardening
Gardening has many benefits for older people. Garden beds, equipment, and easy-to-use tools can help you create a garden that is interesting and accessible. With some planning and thought, your garden can be a productive and pleasant space you can enjoy.
Healthy ageing is all about adopting a positive mindset. It focuses on independence and enjoying quality of life. Research has found that gardening can help you create this mindset.
Getting out in the garden helps you stay social while you exercise. Gardening is also a purposeful activity. This means it increases self-esteem, boosts creativity, and helps your brain stay healthy.
Gardening has many benefits for older people. Garden beds, equipment, and easy-to-use tools can help you create a garden that is interesting and accessible. With some planning and thought, your garden can be a productive and pleasant space you can enjoy.
Healthy ageing is all about adopting a positive mindset. It focuses on independence and enjoying quality of life. Research has found that gardening can help you create this mindset.
Getting out in the garden helps you stay social while you exercise. Gardening is also a purposeful activity. This means it increases self-esteem, boosts creativity, and helps your brain stay healthy.
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More benefits of gardening
- Enjoy being active
- Improve your strength and endurance
- Reduce stress and boost relaxation
- Make new social connections
- Grow food and herbs that help you have a healthy diet
- Enjoy being active
- Improve your strength and endurance
- Reduce stress and boost relaxation
- Make new social connections
- Grow food and herbs that help you have a healthy diet
Improve your mental health
Gardening can help you improve your mental health.
Getting out in nature can sooth your nervous system, as well as distract you from problems, which can help you feel restored. Being busy in the garden helps you regulate your emotions and relieve stress.
Gardening challenges your brain too. Being creative by planning, designing, and choosing plants is great for brain health. Nurturing and caring for plants is also very rewarding.
Gardening can help you improve your mental health.
Getting out in nature can sooth your nervous system, as well as distract you from problems, which can help you feel restored. Being busy in the garden helps you regulate your emotions and relieve stress.
Gardening challenges your brain too. Being creative by planning, designing, and choosing plants is great for brain health. Nurturing and caring for plants is also very rewarding.
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Improve your physical health
Gardens need regular and continuous care. This is a great way to increase your level of physical activity. Gardening activities that are good for your body include:
- Digging
- Watering
- Cutting
- Sweeping
- Carrying
These activities contribute towards achieving the amount of physical activity and exercise recommended by the Department of Health.
Gardens need regular and continuous care. This is a great way to increase your level of physical activity. Gardening activities that are good for your body include:
- Digging
- Watering
- Cutting
- Sweeping
- Carrying
These activities contribute towards achieving the amount of physical activity and exercise recommended by the Department of Health.
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Make new friends
Garden groups and clubs offer a unique way for people to connect with nature and each other. People with different experiences from varied backgrounds often collaborate in these groups.
Connecting with others is a big part of ageing well. Community gardens can offer social support, boost your self-esteem, and make you feel less lonely.
You can hear a firsthand experience of the benefits of community gardens here.
Garden groups and clubs offer a unique way for people to connect with nature and each other. People with different experiences from varied backgrounds often collaborate in these groups.
Connecting with others is a big part of ageing well. Community gardens can offer social support, boost your self-esteem, and make you feel less lonely.
You can hear a firsthand experience of the benefits of community gardens here.
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Where to find gardening groups
Gardening groups have members that meet on a regular basis to:
- Maintain and cultivate local food and herb gardens
- Attend group discussions or seminars
- Help maintain local community native natural habitats
- Promote fun and friendship
Community Gardens Australia and Garden Clubs of Australia have lots of helpful information. Here you can find advice about gardening and joining a club or group in your local area.
Gardening groups have members that meet on a regular basis to:
- Maintain and cultivate local food and herb gardens
- Attend group discussions or seminars
- Help maintain local community native natural habitats
- Promote fun and friendship
Community Gardens Australia and Garden Clubs of Australia have lots of helpful information. Here you can find advice about gardening and joining a club or group in your local area.
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- Wear sunscreen and protective clothing, including a hat, comfortable footwear, and gloves.
- Prevent sun exposure by working in the garden early in the morning or later in the day.
- Drink water to stay hydrated, especially in warm weather.
- Take care and follow safety precautions when using power tools.
- Secure gates and fences if memory loss is an issue.
- Wear sunscreen and protective clothing, including a hat, comfortable footwear, and gloves.
- Prevent sun exposure by working in the garden early in the morning or later in the day.
- Drink water to stay hydrated, especially in warm weather.
- Take care and follow safety precautions when using power tools.
- Secure gates and fences if memory loss is an issue.
- Ensure that paths and walkways are flat, non-slip, and cleared of trip hazards.
- Keep a sturdy support near you if balance is an issue.
- Warm up and stretch before you begin strenuous activity.
- Take regular breaks and avoid sustained postures, like kneeling.
- Extra caution is needed for individuals with fragile or thinning skin.
- Attend to any cuts, bruises, or insect bites immediately.
- Ensure that paths and walkways are flat, non-slip, and cleared of trip hazards.
- Keep a sturdy support near you if balance is an issue.
- Warm up and stretch before you begin strenuous activity.
- Take regular breaks and avoid sustained postures, like kneeling.
- Extra caution is needed for individuals with fragile or thinning skin.
- Attend to any cuts, bruises, or insect bites immediately.
Helpful products for gardening
Some gardening tasks can become difficult as we get older. This could be due to injury, a health condition, or general aches and pains.
Assistive products can help you with everyday gardening tasks and allow you to work in the garden independently.
Solutions can be as simple as garden tools that have foam around the handles to make them larger and easier to grip.
Some gardening tasks can become difficult as we get older. This could be due to injury, a health condition, or general aches and pains.
Assistive products can help you with everyday gardening tasks and allow you to work in the garden independently.
Solutions can be as simple as garden tools that have foam around the handles to make them larger and easier to grip.
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Examples of products that can assist with limited mobility and allow wheelchair access:
- Raised garden beds
- Vertical and wall gardens
- Retractable hanging baskets
Examples of products that help wrist or hand issues:
- Long handle garden tools
- Easy grip garden tools
There are lots of products available. You can take the LiveUp quiz for more suggestions. You can also watch a segment all about helpful gardening products on Better Homes and Gardens.
Examples of products that can assist with limited mobility and allow wheelchair access:
- Raised garden beds
- Vertical and wall gardens
- Retractable hanging baskets
Examples of products that help wrist or hand issues:
- Long handle garden tools
- Easy grip garden tools
There are lots of products available. You can take the LiveUp quiz for more suggestions. You can also watch a segment all about helpful gardening products on Better Homes and Gardens.
An occupational therapist can help you
An occupational therapist (OT) could help you get out in the garden more often.
An OT can help you develop personalised strategies. These strategies will allow you to do the things you enjoy, despite any barriers you might be facing. They can give you advice and suggest products that help you start or continue gardening.
Visit Occupational Therapy Australia to find a practitioner in your local area.
An occupational therapist (OT) could help you get out in the garden more often.
An OT can help you develop personalised strategies. These strategies will allow you to do the things you enjoy, despite any barriers you might be facing. They can give you advice and suggest products that help you start or continue gardening.
Visit Occupational Therapy Australia to find a practitioner in your local area.
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More helpful information
If you need more information, take the LiveUp quiz by clicking the 'Let's go!' button below or get in touch with one of our helpful team on 1800 951 971.
If you need more information, take the LiveUp quiz by clicking the 'Let's go!' button below or get in touch with one of our helpful team on 1800 951 971.
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Find out how to age your way
Take our easy OpenUp quiz to get personalised advice and see suggested products, services and support in your local area or online.
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