What
is Horticultural Therapy?
Submitted
by Hank Bruce
It is simply gardening as therapy.
Horticultural Therapy is a process utilizing plants and
horticultural activities to improve the social, educational,
psychological and physical adjustment of persons, thus nurturing the
body, mind, and spirit while improving their quality of life.
Horticultural
Therapy has proven to be beneficial for people who are physically
disabled, mentally ill, developmentally disable, elderly, substance
abusers, public offenders, at risk children, students, socially
disadvantaged, victims of abuse, victims of disease, visually impaired,
victims of AIDS and Alzheimer’s disease, cardiac and cancer patients,
and suffering from depression
For
all of us who suffer the burden of stress from everyday living, those
who are family caregivers, those who are undergoing the trauma of life
change (death of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce, etc.), and those
whose work demands too much of them, gardening can be a retreat, a
haven, a source of comfort and renewal
For
people and patients whose physical or mental condition renders them
passive and dependent, having living plants to nurture creates a role
reversal. Caring for
plants, Horticultural Therapy, puts the individual in a care-giving
role. This can not only
bring pleasure; it can build confidence and a sense of purpose.
The growth of the plants under one’s care gives the gift of
hope and a reason for tomorrow
It
is often the case that the mentally and physically handicapped and the
elderly suffer from low self-esteem and depression.
Working with plants gives them a chance to be successful, to feel
that they too have value. Horticultural
Therapy can also provide social interaction, learning opportunities, and
valuable exercise at a self-directed pace. The physical activity of Horticultural Therapy helps patients
who have undergone surgery or treatments to heal better, lowers blood
pressure, and stimulates the senses.
Today many hospitals have garden courtyards where patients and
families can stroll or sit and reflect in the midst of beautiful flowers
and foliage, share the life giving rays of the sun, breathe the oxygen
enriched air and enjoy the companionship of green
friends.
Horticultural
Therapy programs have proven beneficial in nursing homes, assisted
living facilities, schools, substance abuse centers, prisons, juvenile
detention centers, senior citizens’ centers, and homeless shelters.
Health care organizations, hospice programs, social service
organizations, welfare agencies, churches and many others have been able
to improve the quality of life for those in their care through the use
of gardening as therapy.
The
garden is a safe place, a benevolent setting where everyone is welcome.
Plants are non-judgmental, non-threatening and
non-discriminating. They
respond to the care given. It
doesn’t matter whether one is black or white, has been to kindergarten
or college, is poor or wealthy, is healthy or ill, has been a victim of
abuse or an abuser, is handicapped or blind, can call a plant by name or
only caresses the leaves with arthritic hands
|
A Harvest of Benefits from
Horticultural Therapy
Cognitive Development
Growing
and working with plants, either indoors or out, teaches new skills and
language, increases attentions spans, raises concentration levels,
improves the ability to work independently, and develops problem solving
skills and the ability to follow directions.
Social Growth
Working
as a part of a group encourages learning to compromise, sharing and
working towards common goals, increases social interaction, provides
opportunities for improving communication skills and heightens an
awareness of the natural world.
Psychological Development
The
plants depend on the people for survival.
Compassion and nurturing needs are met through the care of
something living. A feeling
of usefulness, a sense of responsibility, improved self-esteem and a
sense of worth grows along with the plants.
Both the opportunity to be creative and the potential for success
are present. The acts of
weeding, cultivation and pruning relieve, in a socially acceptable way,
feelings of tension, anger, aggression and stress.
Physical Rehabilitation
The
activities of gardening can be adapted to an individual’s limitations.
It also provides incentives to exercise both gross and fine motor
skills, condition, retain or strengthen muscles.
Being actively involved with plants and gardening can lower blood
pressure, improve circulation and respiration and exercise arthritic
joints. Gardening
activities provide meaningful exercise for stroke patients, and those
recovering from surgery, illness or accidents.
Spiritually
Being
with plants provides a sense of place in the universe, communion with
nature and a sense of peace and harmony.
Too often we think that we must be engaged in “activities”,
but sometimes “being” is activity enough.
Sometimes opening the soul to the diversity of beauty is activity
enough. Connecting with
another living entity can be an inspirational experience.
To feel the leaves, to smell the flowers, to be a part of the
growth is to give the gift of hope and a reason for tomorrow. |
