Many people love to garden, including senior citizens. There is something about it that brings peace and tranquility. Zen Gardens in senior housing communities bring a sense of calmness for seniors that no prescription can provide.
Benefits of Zen Gardens for Seniors
Zen Gardens provide a multitude of benefits for senior citizens, including the following:
Promotes Self-Identity
As adults get older, some may lose their sense of purpose and belonging. Enjoying time in a Zen Garden with peers is vital and may help seniors engage with others when they would normally keep to themselves, as well as gain autonomy.
Companionship
Many facilities will organize activities around Zen Gardens to encourage socialization and to maintain cognitive skills. When friends or family come to visit, it also gives seniors an interesting topic to talk about.
Orientation
Since facilities organize weekly activities around Zen Gardens, this makes them great for helping seniors keep track of the time and days of the week.
Purposeful Activity
Zen Gardens can be used for many things such as meditating, exercising, and even planting. These activities allow seniors to feel as if they are accomplishing something that is meaningful and useful.
Improved Moods
Being in a good mood is beneficial for everyone, including seniors. Zen Gardens can help calm and improve an individual’s mood. Outdoor spaces are known to trigger happy memories and give seniors an opportunity to relax. They also allow them the chance to exercise and gain a sense of freedom, resulting in feeling less stressed and depressed, all while promoting a better sense of well-being.
Elements of a Zen Garden
It is not always easy for senior citizens to go from living in the home they have lived in for years to living in a facility with many other individuals. They may become uncomfortable and lose their sense of safety, sense of normalcy, and independence. Zen Gardens are designed specifically to act as healing gardens. The elements with the garden helps individuals feel energized, comfortable, less stresses, and safe. There are a variety of ways to design a Zen Garden, but they typically have the following features:
Maintainable Garden Design
Zen Gardens need to be simple to keep up with to maximize its safety and be therapeutically beneficial. When it is not maintained properly or easy to care for, a Zen Garden can create more stress for seniors.
Functional
A Zen Garden’s design and how it is arranged accommodates the size of the area and potential user limitations. Zen Gardens are created to be simple and balanced so individuals understand the space.
Visual Appeal
For a Zen Garden to be healing and uplifting, it needs to be aesthetically pleasing and include focal points that encourages direction within the garden.
Unity and Environmental Soundness
Zen Gardens incorporate the correct hardscaping in relation to the plants used. Plants engage the senses and are positioned strategically and purposefully. Furthermore, maintaining the garden has minor to no negative effects on the environment around it.
Final Thoughts
As the owner of a senior living facility, you want your residents to feel comfortable, safe, and relaxed. Incorporating a Zen Garden can help you accomplish that goal. Bluegrass Landscape & Snow Management has years of experience designing outdoor spaces and helping maintain those areas. If you are looking for a professional landscaping company to help you provide your residents with a healing environment, contact Bluegrass Landscape & Snow Management today at (314) 770-2828.
