The Benefits of Gardening for Older Adults: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

This article systematically reviews evidence for gardening as a beneficial activity for older adults. The authors reviewed 22 articles that assessed the benefits of gardening for both community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults. Through various research designs (quantitative and qualitative) and measurements utilized, the results reveal that gardening can be an activity that promotes overall health and quality of life, physical strength, fitness and flexibility, cognitive ability, and socialization. The implementation of various aspects of gardening as health-promoting activities transcend contexts of practice and disciplines and can be used in urban and rural communities as both individual and group activities.

Keywords:

• gardening
• older adults
• elderly
• horticulture therapy
• ecotherapy