Gardening For Seniors

When looking for a fun activity to do outside, many of our residents choose gardening.

It stimulates all of the senses, awakens our connection with nature, and rewards us with fresh flowers and juicy tomatoes. In terms of other benefits, it can help prevent injury, ease stress, anxiety, and be a mood booster. Another plus side of gardening is it can offer an increase in mobility and flexibility. Gardening has something for everyone, whether you’re new to the hobby or a seasoned pro.

What Oakmont loves about gardening is it gives our residents the opportunity to watch something they planted slowly come to life, which can be invigorating. As a company, we love making gardening an activity that everyone can enjoy, including creating a safe environment where our residents can foster their gardening experiences. We are also looking at creating other activities for all residents to partake in, such as gardening lessons, trips to the local nurseries, chef demonstrations, garden socials, and much more.

Thinking about adding this fun pastime into your routine? We have some helpful tips to keep in mind when outside:

• Purchase a kneeling stand for crouching or kneeling for extended periods –These are usually heavily padded low-to-the-ground stools that allow you to comfortably sit or kneel with little leg pain.
• Use ergonomic or foam handled pruners – These special handles will help ease knuckle and joint discomfort when trimming plants and are helpful for anyone who suffers from arthritis, or can’t hold tools for a long amount of time.
• Try planting in a raised bed – At Oakmont, we provide our residents with waist-high raised gardening beds so kneeling isn’t required and reaching out to the center of the bed isn’t as difficult.
• Garden for plants that require trellises – Plants that require trellises usually have vines and enjoy growing vertically, which means bending to prune isn’t as necessary. Some plants we recommend are cucumbers, tomatoes, and beans.
• Have a place to sit close by – Make sure to add a bench or chair under shady areas nearby to take breaks.
• Have slopes incorporated in your garden – Consider using a gentle slope in your garden to any raised areas as opposed to stairs because this makes it easier for walkers and lowers the risk of injury.
• Add lighting – Install solar powered decorative lights in the garden for low-maintenance and low-voltage lighting.
• Use brightly colored gardening tools– Gardening tools can get lost among the foliage of the garden, so we recommend painting your garden tools a bright vivid color so they can be spotted easily. Another method is to wrap bright duct tape around the handle.

Try adding gardening into your routine for a fun and rewarding hobby!