ISHS Acta Horticulturae 775: XXVII International Horticultural Congress - IHC2006: International Symposium on Horticultural Practices and Therapy for Human Well-Being
A MODEL FOR HEALTHY AGING WITH HORTICULTURE |
| Authors: | C.A. Shoemaker, M. Lin |
| Keywords: | horticultural therapy, therapeutic horticulture, gardening |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.775.10 |
| Abstract:
The older population is an expanding proportion of the population in many countries around the world. For example, currently in the United States 13% of the population are 65 and older and this is expected to grow to 20% of the population by 2030. The older adult population is a healthier, wealthier, and better-educated group than previous generations. However, as life expectancy increases, the likelihood of disability and entering a nursing home increases. In the United States, walking and gardening are the two major leisure-time physical activities among persons aged 65 years and older. Gardening, as a moderate-intensity activity, has been shown to reduce the risk of certain health conditions such as primary cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction. Preliminary research has found that participation in gardening by adults resulted in significant improvements in physical health outcomes such as total cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and lower mortality as well as psychosocial health outcomes such as psychological well-being and stronger social integration. Using the humanistic perspective, the Biophilia hypothesis, the functional-evolutionary theory, the psycho-evolutionary theory, and the self-efficacy construct of the social-cognitive theory, a horticulture well-being model for healthy aging will be presented. The model demonstrates how horticulture can be an effective tool for healthy aging. | |
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