【Horticultural therapy】Planting vegetables and watering flowers can also improve the condition of dementia patients?

Many people say that the passive skill of the Chinese is "growing vegetables", something that we engrave in our genes.

Many young people joke that the elderly like to grow vegetables, but they don't know that this may be a kind of "healthy wisdom", and now it has a more "Western" name, horticultural therapy.

With the aging of the population, dementia has become one of the global health crises. People with dementia face a decline in cognitive function, which not only affects their daily lives, but also places a significant burden on their families and society. Horticultural therapy (HT) is gaining traction as a non-pharmacological intervention in the search for effective treatments for dementia.

Overview of horticultural therapy

Horticultural therapy is a comprehensive therapy that promotes the physical and mental health of participants through gardening activities such as planting, pruning, watering, etc. It provides people with dementia with access to nature that not only promotes physical activity but also sensory stimuli such as sight, smell and touch, which can help improve their cognitive function, reduce irritability, promote positive emotions and enhance engagement.

In recent years, many studies have begun to explore the benefits of horticultural therapy for people with dementia. One quantitative systematic review study analysed 14 studies (including four randomised controlled trials and 10 quasi-experimental studies) involving 411 people with dementia. The results of the study showed that participatory horticultural therapy had significant effects on improving cognitive function, reducing irritability, promoting positive mood and enhancing engagement. However, ornamental gardening had no significant effect on irritability and positive mood.

Mechanism of horticultural therapy

Horticultural therapy may be effective because it encourages people with dementia to use their five senses for activities, such as feeling the wind, listening to birds, and eating plants. These activities can stimulate the prefrontal region of the brain, stimulating memory and basic psychosocial functions. In addition, horticultural therapy promotes cognitive function by providing new information, learning new skills, facing new challenges, and making decisions, which brings a sense of responsibility, independence, and accomplishment to patients.

How easy is horticultural therapy?

First, evaluate and plan

1. Before starting, it is necessary to assess the participants' physical condition, cognitive level, hobbies, etc. (what they like to grow, what they can eat or ornamental), and understand their preferences and possible limitations of gardening activities (planting good seeds).
2. Based on the results of the assessment, individualized treatment goals are set, which can be to improve physical function, enhance cognitive ability, improve emotional state, etc.
3. According to the treatment goals, design a corresponding gardening activity plan. The plan should include the type of activity, frequency, duration, materials required, etc.

Preparation

1. Ensure that the venue for the gardening activity is safe and suitable for the physical condition of the participants. It can be a demolition wasteland, an outdoor garden, a balcony, or even an indoor planting area, as well as a villa garden.
2. Prepare gardening tools and materials such as pots, soil, seeds, plants, gardening tools, etc. Make sure the tool is safe and easy to use.

Implement gardening activities

1. Appropriate guidance and assistance are given according to the participants' abilities. Ensure the safety of the activity and encourage participants to complete tasks (sowing, watering, fertilizing) as autonomously as possible.
2. Activities can include planting (e.g., planting, transplanting), maintenance (e.g., watering, pruning), harvesting, and more. It can be adjusted according to the season and the interests of the participants, and even harvested back to stir-fry.
3. Gardening activities provide a variety of sensory stimulation, such as touching the soil and plants, smelling the scent of plants, and viewing the flowers, etc., to help improve participants' perception and emotional state.

Precautions

1. Always ensure that the event is safe, avoid the use of sharp tools, and ensure that the venue is barrier-free and non-slip.
2. Activities should be as personalized as possible, taking into account the specific needs and preferences of each participant.
3. Give participants positive encouragement and support to strengthen their self-confidence and sense of achievement.

Finally, I would like to conclude today's article with a lyric poem:

The spring breeze blows through the cuiwei slope, and the Chinese children grow more vegetables.

The green leaves spread the way of health, and gardening heals the heart and body.

Holding the hoe in his hand, the sun is not oblique, and the physical exercise is leisurely.

Forget the hustle and bustle and feel at ease, and the suffering of dementia is far away.

Generations of cultivation and reading aspirations, vegetable garden paths move lightly.

Regardless of spring, summer, autumn and winter, it is appropriate to enjoy the idyllic years.

参考文献——Zhao Y, Liu Y, Wang Z. Effectiveness of horticultural therapy in people with dementia: A quantitative systematic review. J Clin Nurs. 2022 Jul; 31(13-14):1983-1997. Epub 2020 Feb 20. PMID: 32017241.