Have you ever sat outside, looked around at nature, and felt a thousand worries lift from off your shoulders?
It’s not a coincidence. Being in nature is one of the best forms of therapy around, and it’s why the best independent living communities offer beautiful gardens as part of their grounds.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the wonderful ways a community garden can help you become more active in your senior years and boost your well-being. Read on to learn about the top benefits of gardening for seniors.
Community Gardening for Seniors Helps You Stay Physically Active
Community gardens are more than a beautiful way to decorate the outdoor space. Senior gardening programs encourage people to be more active and can help support fitness goals.
There are lots of ways community gardens and gardening activities for seniors can provide low-impact exercise, such as:
- Walking around the gardens on a daily stroll
- Watering plants
- Planting seeds and harvesting vegetables
- Clearing weeds and digging
All these activities are perfect for seniors because they help the body move and prompt flexibility and balance.
They can also keep muscles strong. Plus, it’s time spent in the fresh air, which is perfect for the lungs and contributes to cardiovascular health.
Community Gardens Are an Opportunity to Forge New Friendships
As the name implies, community gardens are all about people. It’s a space that offers a sense of belonging where a senior can talk and laugh with other residents of assisted living in Charlotte, NC.
It may also be a time to find those residents with similar gardening interests and form new friendships. Creating bonds like these can help combat the risk of loneliness in old age.
One of the defining features of community gardening is that it’s a relaxed and supportive setting, which works best when people collaborate.
There is no judgment or demand for specific skills, only a requirement for people to work together, chat, and create something beautiful. So, it enriches social lives and supports a resident’s emotional well-being.
It’s also the perfect activity for new residents in independent living; you may begin your new senior years in a place that feels unfamiliar.
Gardening is an inclusive activity, and when new people join, there are plenty of different ways to get involved and become part of the team. For those who are introverts or have worries about moving to independent living, it’s the ideal activity to sign up for on day one.
Senior Wellness Through Gardening
Any time spent outside can become an effective way to support our mental health, and being surrounded by the beauty of a communal garden is ideal in this respect.
It’s a calming environment and a short walk around a garden; taking a few deep breaths in the fresh air can help reduce stress or anxiety at that moment.
Nurturing and growing plans can also instill a sense of accomplishment that can boost self-esteem, something that’s important for our overall mental health.
Furthermore, being outdoors in the sun and tending to a garden helps boost our vitamin D levels, which can help improve our health, wellness, and moods. It’s why many of us often feel the urge to go for a walk when we need to reduce our stress levels.
Access to Locally Grown Food
Optimal nutrition begins with eating a variety of food, cooked fresh and preferably local. That’s why a community garden can be advantageous. It’s a chance for residents to grow all sorts of food that chefs can use to cook delicious, healthy meals. You might grow:
- A selection of fresh herbs to enhance the flavor of meals
- A variety of in-season vegetables
- Grow fruit trees for a plentiful supply of fresh fruit
It’s the perfect way to improve your diet and add more vitamins and minerals into your food, cutting out pre-packaged or chemical-heavy options.
Eating the food you’ve grown also comes with a sense of satisfaction and can help foster better eating habits.
Memory Care in Charlotte, NC: Cognitive Stimulation via Gardening
It’s essential to keep the brain active as we age. There are many ways to stimulate the mind and cognitive functions, and suitable activities can include brain games, reading, or planning activities.
If you are considering assisted living in Charlotte, remember that outdoor activities for seniors are vital for the brain. Gardening demands thinking and planning, problem-solving, and the opportunity to learn new things.
For example, you might spend time researching the soil type and finding the best way to improve it to help grow plants and vegetables. Or you might be involved in the planning side of a community garden, helping to divide jobs among the volunteers.
You’ll also need to problem-solve challenges like water shortages or pests. It requires ongoing mental engagement and helps exercise the brain in our senior years just as effectively as a brisk walk can exercise our leg muscles.
Senior Living in Charlotte, NC: Connecting With Nature
Any outdoor area, like a communal garden, provides a serene environment to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.
You might hear soothing sounds like birds singing or leaves rustling in the wind, adding to a sense of calm and tranquility that’s hard to find elsewhere. It’s a sensory experience, too.
Moving your hands through the cool soil or trimming branches of a plant can help you feel more at home with nature and even lift your spirits. So, it can help you develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Connecting with nature in this way is great for mindfulness. It helps you escape some of the more toxic elements of modern life and get back to basics, supporting your spirit and mental well-being.
Assisted Living in Charlotte, NC: The Many Benefits of a Community Garden
As you can see, a community garden offers a wealth of benefits to seniors. They can support your physical and mental health and provide a sense of well-being, and they are the perfect place to make new friends.
Why not see how our indoor and outdoor amenities can offer you the dream lifestyle in your senior years? TerraBella Little Avenue, centrally located in Charlotte, NC, offers you access to beautiful gardens and so much more. Find out about our living options here.
