Tag Archives: Gardening for Seniors

Best Senior Activities – Gardening Keeps You Young!

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New Jersey Senior Living

Gardening can do wonders for an elderly person.  The benefits are endless.

Gardening involves walking, bending, pulling and lifting, which is a great workout. When we work on a garden, we burn calories and increase flexibility, relieve stress and lower blood pressure. Fresh nutrition is also a benefit.

A garden can also bring happiness.  Knowing that they just weeded the garden or planted some flowers offers a feeling of accomplishment.

Here are some safety tips for those seniors who choose to garden:

  • Stop gardening when you’re sore, tired, hot or bored. You want to avoid hurting or injuring knees, back, arms or legs.
  • Take sensible precautions: Use sun block; wear long pants; use repellant to keep bugs at bay; wear gloves, sunglasses, and clothes that don’t constrict your movements.
  • Garden for short periods: one to two hours maximum, unless you are in shape.
  • Start the right way: Exercise or stretch gently first.
  • Avoid the hottest parts of the day: Work in the garden early in the morning or late in the day.
  • Make access easy: Seniors in wheelchairs or who can’t get up and down easily can still work in raised planting areas or pots. Smooth, wide pathways accommodate canes, wheelchairs and walkers.
  • Use the right tools: Tools with grips wrapped with rubber or plastic are easier on the hands, and many new ergonomic garden tools reduce strain and injury.
  • Stay hydrated: Be sure water is easily accessible for both drinking and watering.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ seniors, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have elder care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Muscle-toning, Cardio, and Flexibility for Senior Fitness

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Gardening has wonderful benefits for the muscles.  When carrying bags of soil, flats of flowers, or tools, make sure that they’re not too heavy for you.  Lift things in separate shifts if need be, but carrying the right amount of weight at a time is great for bone density and muscle toning.

Keeping up a garden also requires walking, digging, and planting.  All of these actions promote cardiovascular health by slightly elevating the heart rate and deepening the breath.  This improves circulation, lung capacity, and overall health.  Again, only do as much as feels comfortable and invigorating.

Swatting, kneeling, turning and twisting are great for your joints.  When it comes to flexibility, you really need to use it or lose it.  While gardening, focus on the subtle movements, and how the various actions are keeping your muscles and joints alive and well.

Gardening can also be great for you emotional health as well as physical health.  Relax and take deep breaths while gardening.  Admire all the colors and scents, have picnics in your garden, or maybe your first cup of coffee in the morning.  There’s no greater fulfillment than admiring the natural beauty around you that has been nurtured by your own hard work.