Gardening Therapy in Care Communities

Gardens provide many benefits in addition to landscaping beauty. Researchers have found that the accessibility to nature is an important factor in life satisfaction.  Gardening or horticulture therapy offers many benefits for people of all ages and skill levels. Benefits include working with nature, physical exercise, alleviating stress and depression, providing social interaction, and using thinking skills and problem solving. Working in the garden can be a great relaxation practice to reduce stress levels and related conditions.

There has been an increased acknowledgement of the restorative value of gardens and plants in care communities for the elderly.  Specific benefits for the elderly who work in gardens and with plants include increasing their attention span, elevating their concentration skills, and providing gentle exercise which can increase their strength and muscle tone. Patients with dementia tend to feel safe in an enclosed garden area which lessens their anxiety.

Gardening also brings the community together. The Courtyard of Loveland has partnered with the Loveland Youth Gardeners. The Leaf Out interns visit The Courtyard Gardens all summer working together with our residents tending to our flower and vegetable gardens. Our residents enjoy their youthful energy and in turn the young volunteers learn to treasure our elders. The gardens at the Courtyard of Loveland Care Community offer our residents landscape beauty, the joy of nature, companionship, health benefits, and fresh garden to table food.