RESEARCH

Reduced Stress and Improved Physical Functional Ability in Elderly with Mental Health Problems Following a Horticultural Therapy Program

The study found that the group who participated in the horticultural therapy program had a significant decrease in their cortisol levels from before to after the program (P < 0.05), indicating reduced stress. Additionally, the gardening group showed significant improvements in all six parts of the Senior Fitness Test (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001 for different subtests), meaning their physical abilities got better.

Program Types: Therapeutic

Population Groups: Mental Health Challenges/Trauma, Older Adults/Seniors

Setting or Context: Farms

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Balance, Improved Cognitive Function, Improved Mental Health, Improved Physical Health, Improved Stress Management, Increase in Standing or Walking Tolerance

Allied Profession Intersections: Physical Therapy, Social Work

Type of Activity: Edible Plant Gardening, Growing Plants from Seed, Outdoor Gardening, Plant Propagation

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Quantitative Research, Randomized Controlled Trials

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Metrics for Physical Health, Patient-Reported Outcomes, Program Effectiveness, Standardized Assessment Tools

Access: Paid

Summary

This study looked at whether a horticultural therapy program, which involved planting and taking care of plants, could help older adults with mental health problems feel less stressed and improve their physical abilities. Researchers in South Korea worked with 28 participants from two mental health centers. These participants were randomly divided into two groups: one group (14 people) took part in the 10-session horticultural therapy program that met once a week for 90 minutes, where they did activities like making garden beds, planting vegetables and herbs, watering, weeding, and harvesting. The other group (14 people) was a control group and did not participate in the gardening program but continued with their usual activities at the mental health centers.

To see if the gardening program had an effect, the researchers measured the participants’ stress levels by testing their saliva for cortisol, a hormone related to stress. They also used the Senior Fitness Test, which has six parts to check things like muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance. These tests were done for both groups one week before the program started and within one week after it finished. The researchers then compared the results of the two groups to see if there were any significant changes in the gardening group compared to the group that didn’t do the gardening.

Link

Han, AR., Park, SA., & Ahn, BE. (2018). Reduced stress and improved physical functional ability in elderly with mental health problems following a horticultural therapy program. Complement Ther Med., 38, 19-23

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