Gardening is something that can bring comfort and pleasure to people of all ages and abilities, and older people living in residential care are no exception. 

Whether they were keen gardeners or not earlier in life, connecting with the outdoors offers joyful activities which can distract, engage, and be a meaningful focus for both physical and social activity.

Here at Pingley Court we encourage everyone to make the most of our outdoor space and in this recent warm weather we’ve done just that!
… enjoying lunch outside on sunny days, socialising, and doing some helpful tidying and gardening to create a lovely bright courtyard space for all to enjoy.

The benefits gardening for older people

Gardening can provide a fantastic opportunity for stimulation of all the senses. Enjoying some fresh air and a change of scenery can be enough in itself to boost a feeling of wellbeing , and the sights, sounds, and smell of a garden can all help motivate and engage.

Physical Benefits – The exercise and manual dexterity skills employed in gardening can help reduce boredom and anxiety, and improve sleep.

Cognitive Benefits – Helping to plan and organise the activity, and the accompanying decision-making provide opportunity for meaningful activity that can help keep the mind sharp, motivate, and form part of a daily routine to bring focus and purpose to the day.

Social Benefits – Gardening is a great social activity and provides fantastic stimulus for conversation and companionship.

Emotional Benefits – Something as simple as being outside and simply feeling the sunshine on  your face, listening to bird-song or enjoying the flowers can help boost mood, while purposeful activity and social engagement can lead to improved feelings of wellbeing and contentment.

Adapting Gardening Activities for older people

With a little careful management it is perfectly possible to adapt many gardening activities to involve everyone, whatever their disabilities.

Those who are physically able may enjoy, with support and regular breaks, the full range of gardening jobs from light digging and planting, to sweeping, pruning and weeding.

If mobility or eyesight is limited, gardening jobs can be broken down into smaller, less physically demanding tasks such as growing seeds or bulbs in pots, flower arranging or just  simply being in the garden watching others do the work but still feeling involved.

Gardening with other people can be particularly rewarding, fostering and maintaining relationships not only through doing things together, but also through the talk that always seems to go alongside.

Making the most of the moment 

Enjoying a shared gardening task in the moment produces feelings – hopefully of pleasure, calmness and peace – that can linger long into the future. And this can have a significant effect on contentment and wellbeing. 

So why not get out the gardening gloves and give it a go!

Pingley Court is a luxury care home in the Woodseats area of Sheffield providing residential, respite, and day care of the highest quality including for people living with dementia. We’d love to show you around, so please give us a call on 0114 4782095 to arrange a personal guided tour of the home. You’ll be able to see for yourself how good life here can be, and we’ll be available to answer any questions you may have.