Celebrate National Garden Month with Your Senior

April is National Garden Month. It’s that time of year when the cold and dreary days of winter are gone and the world is ready to bloom in flowers and plants to welcome the summer months ahead. The first official National Garden Month began in April 2003, and the country has been celebrating it ever since.

Health Benefits for Seniors Related to Gardens

Everyone can benefit from enjoying gardens, but they can be particularly beneficial to seniors and their health. Working outside in a garden can help your senior by:

• Reducing the risk of dementia through mental stimulation of planning for a garden and working on the steps to keep it healthy.
• Maintaining bone density levels by providing physical activities like squatting and bending, which build strength.
• Improving mood by providing a purpose, a goal, and hopefully a successful outcome. There is something special about seeing a flower or a vegetable produced from a seed you planted.
• Increasing balance through navigating uneven terrain and using repetitive movements.

Even if your loved one cannot start his own garden, he can reap many health benefits of gardens by visiting local gardens.

Four Ways Your Senior Can Celebrate National Garden Month

Visit Local Gardens

Most communities have several gardens around their public spaces that anyone can enjoy. There might be a large public garden packed with every type of flower or smaller gardens along walking paths or even near public buildings like the library or the courthouse. Have your senior take some time to explore these gardens and bring a flower-identifying book to help him learn more about the flowers he sees.

Plant a Garden of His Own

Gardens can be as small as a tiny succulent garden in a pot on the windowsill to a large vegetable garden that takes up most of the backyard. Help your senior find the right type of garden for him that matches his needs, space limitations, and abilities.

Volunteer at Community Gardens

If he doesn’t have room or desire to have a garden at his home, consider seeing if your loved one would like to volunteer at a local community garden. It’s often volunteers who work in the gift shops or pull weeds on the weekends.

Purchase Flowers and Vegetables from Local Gardeners

A farmer’s market is a great place to go and support local gardeners. Instead of buying his produce from a large store, visit a local farmer’s market to get both flowers and vegetables grown locally to celebrate the month.

Senior Home Care Providers Can Help Your Loved One Enjoy National Garden Month

In whatever way your loved one decides to celebrate the month, April is a great time to get out and explore more of his community. If your loved one is unable to do this on his own because of limited mobility or health issues that restrict his ability to drive, a senior home care provider can help your loved one get out in the community and explore the gardens around him or assist him in starting up a small garden of his own. With a senior home care provider, your loved one will have someone who can help him celebrate the month while also providing support and safety for his activities.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care in Shelter Island, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at (631) 685-5001