NEWS

Care home Gardens – Shoreline Partners digs up the benefits of gardens to healthy ageing

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Feeling the sun and the breeze on your face, smelling wet earth after the rain, hearing the buzz of bees and insects and seeing brightly coloured flowers. These are all experiences we take for granted in our everyday life and (unsurprisingly) they are increasingly being recognised as important for the health and wellbeing of older people living in care homes.

The therapeutic effects of gardens and nature were well known to ancient civilisations such as the ancient Greeks and the Japanese. Recent research has demonstrated multiple physical, psychological/cognitive and social benefits for older people of having access to gardens and nature (Cedamon 2022, Frumkin et al 2017, Seymour 2016, Wolf & Housley 2016). These include:

Physical: Greater independence, improved balance, muscle strength, coordination and dexterity thus reducing
fall risk, improved sleep patterns, increased vitamin D absorption to support bone health, strengthened
immune system including boosting the immune cells which can fight cancer (Li et al 2008) and reduced pain.

Psychological/cognitive: A calming effect and stress reduction (including a drop in blood pressure and a
reduction in cortisol), improved positive mood and emotions, reduction in depression and anxiety, improved
cognition, greater sense of purpose and greater expression of creativity.

Social: Improved engagement and interaction, reduction in loneliness, more reminiscence and memory sharing

In environmental terms gardens can contribute to the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) agenda which is important for commissioners, regulators, investors and key stakeholder engagement. Gardens can help encourage biodiversity, re-engage people with nature, provide some protection against particulate pollution and noise, provide cooling in hot weather and be a great source of community engagement.

Care homes have gardens and open spaces of varying size, style and design. In our experience some are exceptionally well designed and maintained, and (with support and encouragement from operators) well used by residents and their families. Others however are sadly under-utilised, treated as a bit of an afterthought or simply neglected.

At Shoreline Partners we believe that care home gardens are really important to residents’ quality of life and we only target care homes with high quality gardens of a reasonable size, plus (where possible) balconies or terrace areas with space for outdoor planting on all floors above ground-floor level.

Garden design should give some consideration to its therapeutic benefits and we look for some of the following features: accessible, safe routes and paths to walk, multiple places to sit with access to sun and shade, activity areas such as potting sheds and raised beds, areas for interaction with families and loved ones,
consideration of sensory stimulation with planting and landscaping (including the sound of water) as well as areas which encourage wildlife and biodiversity.

We have noted some outstanding garden features in care homes of late including:

  • Residents growing herbs, fruit and vegetables which are used in the care home kitchen.
  • Links with local wildlife trusts to create rewilding areas e.g. wildflower areas, log piles for insects and bee houses, use of birdboxes.
  • The use of cameras in gardens and birdboxes, which can be viewed inside the care home.
  • External BBQ’s / outdoor kitchens
  • Gazebos, ‘garden rooms’ and potting sheds.
  • A ‘fairy garden’ created by residents for their grandchildren.

We seek to ensure the gardens in the homes we invest in are well maintained, through lease covenants, our annual building survey, regular inspections and feedback to our operators. We will continue to focus on this area in future, and to champion the creation and use of quality outdoor care homes areas in the sector generally.

 


References
Cedamon, E. (2022) “The role gardens and gardening can play on the health and wellbeing of older people: A literature
review” Australian nursing and Midwifery Journal. June 21. https://anmj.org.au/the-role-gardens-and-gardening-can-play-
on-the-health-and-wellbeing-of-older-people-a-literature-review/

Frumkin, H. (2017), Bratman, G.N., Breslow, S.J., Cochran, B., Kahn, P.H., Lawler, J.J., Levin, P.S., Tandon, P.S., Varanasi, U.,
Wolf, K.L, Wood. S.A. “ From Intuitive to Evidence Based: Developing the Science of Nature as a Public Health Resource.”
Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol 125 issue 7, July 31.

Li Q, Morimoto K, Kobayashi M, Inagaki H, Katsumata M, Hirata Y, et al. (2008) “Visiting a forest, but not a city, increases
human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins”. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 21(1):117–127.

Marcus, C. C and Sachs, N.A. (2014) Therapeutic Landscapes: An evidence based approach to Designing Healing Gardens
and Restorative Outdoor spaces. Wiley Press, USA.

Seymour V. (2016) “The human–nature relationship and its impact on health: A critical review”. Front Public Health 4:260,
10.3389/fpubh.2016.00260.

Wolf, K. and Housley, E. (2016) Research Brief: The benefits of nearby nature in cities for older people. Nature Sacred and
the TKF Foundation www.naturesacred.org