Gardening in Retirement

Gardening in Retirement

Gardening can be a very satisfying outdoor hobby for both younger and older people. It awakens our senses, links us to the environment and provides many physical and mental benefits, especially for the elderly. It is a great way for retirees to maintain flexibility and obtain moderate intensity cardio workouts. At Rangeford Villages, our gardens have something to offer throughout all seasons and they always look very inviting for residents and visitors. Some of our residents get involved with the gardening on site and they can come out and help the gardeners whenever they want.

Here we talk about some of the main benefits of gardening when you are retired:

Keeps you active and encourages you to spend time outside – Gardening keeps you active and this is one of the most important things that you can do when it comes to healthy aging. Being outside helps to increase your Vitamin D levels and helps improve your concentration.

 Good for the hands – With all the planting, seeding and plucking, you can help to strengthen your hands. It is a really good workout that helps to keep your fingers and hands in tip-top shape to counter any rigidity. It also helps to improve your balance and coordination, which results in less chance of falls and increases your ability to walk for longer distances.

Therapy for dementia – Gardening has widely been used as a form of rehab for those who are suffering from Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This is especially true if it was hobby and passion that brought you joy before Alzheimer’s. Reigniting it can be really reassuring and allow you to recall the passion that made you joyful in the past.

Encourages healthy eating – We all know how important healthy eating is and often even more so in retirement as we potentially move less. Gardening can help to create a prolonged habit of eating adequate fruits and vegetables.

Enhances your mental health – Gardening has been shown to help lower your stress hormones which can be generated by the body.  When you are gardening you automatically experience a more relaxing atmosphere and by focusing on what you are doing you become mindful.

Increases your social interactions – If you join in with the gardening in our retirement villages, you will be part of a community of people who have the same interest. You can also learn how to improve your gardening skills from more experienced gardeners!

How can you get involved with gardening at our retirement villages?

Speak to our staff and they will put you in touch with the on-site gardener and you can get involved as much or as little as you like! To aid residents, we have created communal herb planters at chest height, so they are easy to pick from and residents don’t have to bend down too much to reach them. We are here to help you continue with your current hobby, or start this new lovely hobby!