Embracing Retirement-Benefits of Gardening
Volume 4-The Many Benefits of Gardening For Seniors
Welcome back to my popular series on getting the most out of your retirement. In my first installment a few weeks ago, I outlined some suggestions for a successful retirement, one of which was the importance of having hobbies. I am fortunate to have many, most of which I had before retiring. However, if you don’t, it’s never too late to start. Hobbies make all the difference in your life. In this article I will bring to light the many benefits of gardening, one of my favorite hobbies.
According to AARP, here are 5 benefits of gardening:
- Exposure to Vitamin D
- Decreased Dementia Risk
- Mood Boosting Benefits
- Enjoyable Aerobic Exercise
- Helps Combat Loneliness
I have found similar benefits in my experience with gardening, both vegetable and flower. These benefits are especially important for seniors. My findings are as follows.
Physical
One major benefit of gardening is the physical activity and exercise. It is an exercise program in itself. It gets you outside in the fresh air and moving. No matter if you are a vegetable gardener or flower gardener, or both. Once you get started on establishing a garden, big or small, it is amazing how much activity it involves. There are so many activities involved with gardening including walking, planting, shoveling, hoeing, kneeling, watering, weeding, etc. Even container gardening on the patio will get you moving. You definitely will use a large variety of muscles, that’s for sure.
Importantly for seniors, gardening can help you maintain or even increase flexibility and mobility. Of course, be careful not to overdo.
Do you have mobility issues? I myself have back and knee issues, and will probably have to downsize my vegetable gardens at some point. Raised bed gardens offer an easier way to garden if needed. There are even taller planting boxes that can be purchased or made that allow for gardening with no bending. No matter what type you do or to what extent, it will benefit you.
Mental/Emotional
Another benefit of gardening is the mental aspect. I must admit that since I retired I am much less stressed, but still very busy. A different busy. When I was still working I remember being mentally exhausted at the end of the day, since my job as a Workers Compensation Claims Examiner was demanding. This can also be true for retirees who work part-time. After work, even though I felt tired, in my case it was mostly mental. Upon walking across the yard to my gardens I would immediately start to feel better. At that point, the task at hand was more physical and mentally relaxing. Physical activity helps you relax mentally, at least it does for me. Even if I only had time for an hour of gardening after work, I would feel so much better. Your entire focus shifts and allows you to think about something different, something fun. The worries of the day seem to disappear.
Nutritional
If you are a vegetable gardener, an obvious benefit is growing what you want, how you want. You are in control of what types of plant food, pest control methods, etc., that are used. You know what you are eating. It is also very satisfying being able to grow your own vegetables.
Nutritionally, the fresher the vegetables the better. No waiting weeks for shipping to a supermarket. By growing your own produce, you will get the maximum possible nutrition and also flavor. This is especially important for seniors.
If you grow flowers, many benefits exist also. The resulting flowers, perennial or annual, provide much satisfaction and of course, their mood-boosting ability is self-explanatory.
Conclusions
Overall, with gardening, you can’t go wrong. The positives far outweigh any negatives. Whether you grow vegetables or flowers or both, I guarantee you you will feel better. If you have yet to try gardening, I encourage you to give it a try. It just may make your retirement more enjoyable.
