Positive aging benefits of home and community gardening activities: Older adults report enhanced self-esteem, productive endeavours, social engagement and exercise

Exploring Food Insecurity and Perceived Stress on Daytime Sleepiness among Older Adults in New York City

The growing population of older adults in the U.S. is experiencing increased food insecurity and stress, which are associated with nocturnal sleep quality and consequently excessive daytime sleepiness. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between food insecurity and perceived stress on daytime sleepiness in older adults aged 60 and older living in New York City. This cross-sectional, quantitative study utilized the US Household Food Security Survey Module six-item questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Sleepiness Total to collect data. Participants completed an online survey via Qualtrics. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between demographic variables and food insecurity, perceived stress, and daytime sleepiness outcomes. Three hundred seventy-eight (378) older adults participated in this study. Food insecurity was associated with age (p = 0.045), education (p = 0.022), and daytime sleepiness (p < 0.001). On average, participants with a BMI of over 30 had an increased daytime sleepiness total relative to a BMI < 25 (p = 0.029), and those with two to three health conditions and those with more than four health conditions had higher daytime sleepiness totals relative to those with zero to one condition (p = 0.007 and 0.007, respectively). Participants who had moderate and high stress, regardless of food security status, had higher daytime sleepiness totals than those with low stress (food secure; p = 0.002; food insecure; p < 0.001). Multifaceted interventions are needed to alleviate food insecurity, manage stress, and reduce excessive daytime sleepiness among older adults.

Multiple Trajectories and Predictors of Self-Esteem Change in Later Life: A Latent Growth Mixture Modeling Approach

Applying latent growth mixture modeling (GMM), this study delves into the examination of self-esteem trajectories in a sample of 5,597 older adults over a nine-year period. Four distinct patterns of self-esteem changes have emerged: low, decreasing, increasing, and high. Additionally, the study explores the relationships between each trajectory and various predictors encompassing demographic factors, socioeconomic status, health, and interpersonal relationships. The findings highlight the significance of these factors in predicting the likelihood of an individual following a specific self-esteem trajectory. Notably, maintaining employment, fostering satisfactory social relationships, and being free of frequent depressive feelings emerged as strong predictors for the stability and increase of high self-esteem. Intriguingly, an average or above-average income was unexpectedly associated with lower levels of self-esteem. The study emphasizes the contribution of GMM to advancing aging research.

Enhancing Self-Esteem, Well-Being, and Relaxation in the Elderly through Nature-Based Interventions

As the populations of many countries are aging, institutions providing support for the elderly increasingly often use nature-based interventions (NBIs) as part of their therapeutic activities. This study aimed to show the impact of 8-week active and passive NBI programs on self-esteem, well-being, and relaxation in the elderly. The NBI programs were conducted in two groups of elderly citizens of Poland: independent senior students and seniors requiring 24 h care. The Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and the World Health Organization Well-Being Index were used to assess self-esteem and well-being before and after the programs. To assess relaxation, pre-post session measurements of pulse rate (PR) and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) were used. Our study showed an improvement in the self-esteem, well-being, and relaxation of the participants of both active and passive NBI programs. In all study groups, self-esteem and well-being improved after the programs, regardless of the type of intervention, and after each NBI session, the elderly showed a decrease in PR and an increase in SpO2, which indicated a deeper state of relaxation. Our research showed a greater improvement in the tested parameters in the seniors participating in the passive programs in a garden. This confirms a key role of green spaces in residential areas for the elderly and in nursing homes.

Impact of information technology supported serious leisure gardening on the wellbeing of older adults: The Turntable project

OBJECTIVE

The study presented in this paper aimed to assess the effect of an Information Technology enabled community gardening program for older adults, developed by an international consortium.

METHODS

We have executed a quantitative, pre- and post-test field trial with older adult volunteers to test the proposed programme in two European countries, Italy and Belgium (n=98). We used standardized and ad hoc questionnaires to measure changes in the volunteers' mental and psychological state during the trial. The statistical data analysis sought for differences in the pre- and post-test values of the key scores related to the perceived quality of life and benefits of gardening via paired-samples t-tests, and also tried to identify the important factors of significant changes via logistic regression.

RESULTS

We found significant improvements in the perceived benefits of gardening and also in the scores computed from the WHO Quality of Life instruments, especially in the social sub-domains. The improvements were associated with the country, age, marital state and education of the volunteers. Higher age or being widow, divorced or single increased the odds of a significant improvement in the scores in more than one sub-domains.

CONCLUSION

Though the two trial settings were different in some aspects, the observed significant improvements generally confirmed the positive effects of gardening concerning the perceived quality of life and benefits of gardening.

Home Gardening Resurgence During COVID: Motivations and Perceived Benefits of Participating in Grow This!

Gardening is associated with a wide array of health benefits. We describe the dissemination of a low-cost social media-based campaign (Grow This!), an intervention intended to reach novice gardeners and which combined elements of old (seeds) and new (Facebook) technology. Grow This! was implemented before (2018, 2019) and during (2020) the COVID pandemic, providing an interesting framework for understanding participants' motivations for gardening. Pre- and post-surveys assessed a variety of topics, including participants' motivations for participating in Grow This!, how they planned to participate, previous gardening experience, the main benefits attributed to participation, and intentions to garden in the future. Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis were used to analyze the survey data. More than 25,000 people participated in Grow This! over the 3 years, with the majority (77%) participating as a family. Participation in the project spiked during COVID. Primary motivations for participating in Grow This! pre-COVID were education, enjoyment, family engagement, and self-sufficiency; during COVID, motivations remained the same, but shifted in rank. Just over a third of participants were novice gardeners. Participants attributed numerous benefits to their participation, including stress reduction/relaxation, more outdoor time, reduced grocery bills, and eating more fruits and vegetables than normal. A total of 83% of respondents reported being highly likely to have a garden in the future. Home gardening as an intervention is ripe for dissemination, particularly in the aftermath of COVID. Public health professionals can benefit from this understanding of people's motivations to garden and the perceived benefits associated with gardening.

Associations between Physical Activity and Kyphosis and Lumbar Lordosis Abnormalities, Pain, and Quality of Life in Healthy Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Significant evidence suggests that regular physical activity (PA) leads to numerous physical and psychological outcomes in the elderly. This cross-sectional study was designed to further explore this issue by investigating the associations between PA (measured by accelerometer) and kyphosis and lumbar lordosis abnormalities, pain, and quality of life (QoL) in the elderly. In this cross-sectional study, 163 older adults (73 women) over 65 years of age (mean age: 68.70 ± 3.09) from Russia acted as participants. The following instruments were used to measure research variables: ActiGraph wGT3X-BT for measuring PA, spinal-mouse for measuring kyphosis and lumbar lordosis abnormalities, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire for measuring QoL. Pain was measured using two questions. The Independent t-test and a regression analysis were used to analyze data. The results showed that our sample participated on average in 15.8 min of moderate PA (MPA) per day, which is lower than the recommended guidelines. Men were significantly more physically active than women. In addition, MPA was significantly associated with lower kyphosis and lumbar lordosis abnormalities and pain in older adults. Finally, MPA was significantly associated with higher QoL. These findings indicate that PA is a critical concern for the elderly. Accordingly, physical educators and fitness instructors should adopt appropriate strategies to promote an active lifestyle among older adults.

Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece

Physical activity is an important factor in achieving healthy aging, offering older persons multiple benefits in terms of maintaining and improving their health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity on the quality of life of older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2022, using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). A total of 124 people aged 65 and over participated in the survey. The average age of the participants was 71.6 years, and 62.1% were women. Participants showed a moderate quality of life with regard to the physical health dimension (mean score 52.4) and a higher quality of life with regard to the mental health dimension (mean score 63.1) compared to the expected values of the population. Low levels of physical activity were recorded among older adults, reaching a rate of 83.9%. A moderate or high level of physical activity has been found to contribute to a better physical functioning (p = 0.03), vitality (p = 0.02) and general health (p = 0.01). Finally, comorbidity had a negative impact on physical activity (p = 0.03) and quality of life regarding mental and physical health in older adults. The study showed very low levels of physical activity in older Greek adults. The management of this problem, which was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be a high priority in public health programs focusing on healthy aging, as physical activity affects and promotes many of the basic aspects of quality of life.

Increased Incidence of Legionellosis after Improved Diagnostic Methods, New Zealand, 2000-2020

Legionellosis, notably Legionnaires' disease, is recognized globally and in New Zealand (Aotearoa) as a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia. We analyzed the temporal, geographic, and demographic epidemiology and microbiology of Legionnaires' disease in New Zealand by using notification and laboratory-based surveillance data for 2000‒2020. We used Poisson regression models to estimate incidence rate ratios and 95% CIs to compare demographic and organism trends over 2 time periods (2000-2009 and 2010-2020). The mean annual incidence rate increased from 1.6 cases/100,000 population for 2000-2009 to 3.9 cases/100,000 population for 2010-2020. This increase corresponded with a change in diagnostic testing from predominantly serology with some culture to almost entirely molecular methods using PCR. There was also a marked shift in the identified dominant causative organism, from Legionella pneumophila to L. longbeachae. Surveillance for legionellosis could be further enhanced by greater use of molecular typing of isolates.

‘Ways of being’ in the domestic garden for people living with dementia: doing, sensing and playing

Domestic gardens represent a site for enacting embodied identity and social relationships in later life, and negotiating tensions between continuity and change. In the context of dementia, domestic gardens have significant implications for ‘living well’ at home, and for wider discussions around embodiment, relational selfhood and agency. Yet previous studies exploring dementia and gardens have predominantly focused on care home or community contexts. In light of this, the paper explores the role of domestic gardens in the everyday lives of people living with dementia and their households, using qualitative, creative methods. This includes filmed walking interviews and garden tours, diaries and sketch methods, involving repeat visits with six households in England. Findings are organised thematically in relation to different ‘ways of being’ in the garden: working in and doing the garden; being in and sensing; and playing, empowerment and agency. These different ‘ways of being’ are situated within relationships with household members, neighbours and non-human actors, including pets, wildlife and the materiality of the garden. Garden practices illustrate continuity, situated within embodied biographies and habitus. However, identities, practices and gardens are also subject to ongoing readjustment and reconstruction. The conclusion discusses implications for extending literature on gardens and later life, describing how social and material relationships in domestic gardens are renegotiated in the context of dementia, while highlighting opportunities for ‘play’, active sensing and agency. We also explore contributions to understandings of dementia, home and place, and implications for garden design and care practice.

Living in an Age-Friendly Community: Evidence from a Masterplanned Development in Southwest Sydney

This paper is situated at the interface of a growing urban studies literature concerned with 'masterplanning' practices in urban planning and another, hitherto relatively discrete, body of research concerned with age-friendly cities and communities. The authors are interested in exploring a gap in aging in place literature around how neighbourhoods and residential settings developed with aging in place principles in mind are experienced and perceived by residents. To explore this research gap, the authors analyse qualitative (primarily interview and focus group) data collected in Park Central, a masterplanned development located in the Campbelltown suburb in the southwest region of the Sydney metropolitan area, Australia. This development was delivered in response to a need identified by the state's land and property development agency, Landcom, for more diverse and affordable medium-density housing in Campbelltown. In particular, a need was identified for housing developments that would be able to sustainably accommodate the changing lifestyle needs of a maturing population in the region. Drawing on our thematic analysis of our data, we discern three key themes in research participants' experiences of Park Central as a place for aging. These themes are elaborated via recourse to excerpts from our data and discussed with a view to informing how the conception, development and practice of further age-friendly communities is approached.

Does a reciprocal relationship exist between social engagement and depression in later life?

OBJECTIVES

We examine if reciprocal associations exist between formal and informal social engagement and depression in older adults.

METHOD

We apply dynamic panel-data structural equation models accompanied with the maximum likelihood estimator (ML-SEM) to the seven waves of data of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA).

RESULTS

Formal social engagement in and through various voluntary groups exerts both cross-lagged and proximal effects in lessening depressive symptoms. In contrast, informal social engagement with familiar persons exhibits only proximal association with depression. Conversely, depression does not reciprocate a cross-lagged effect on either type of social engagement.

CONCLUSION

The study confirms that formal social engagement in and through various voluntary groups produces a protective effect against depression for older adults across time, supporting the mental health advantage of formal engagement.

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Social Engagement and Cognitive Function Among Older Adults in South Korea

A greater number of studies have examined the impact of social engagement on cognitive function rather than the other way around, leaving their reciprocal association underexplored. Furthermore, formal and informal social engagement are not differentiated, although they may have independent relationships with cognitive function. This study aims to identify (1) whether informal and formal social engagements are effective in maintaining cognitive health and (2) if cognitive function has a bidirectional effect on social engagement. The study applies a dynamic panel data structural equation modeling with a maximum likelihood estimator (ML-SEM) to the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) data. The results confirm that frequent participation in organizational activities is more robustly associated with cognitive function than memberships or informal social contact. Concerning the bidirectional relationship, the cognitive function increases the degrees of informal and formal engagement. The study thus validates a reciprocal association between social engagement and cognitive function.

Contribution of Home Gardens to Sustainable Development: Perspectives from A Supported Opinion Essay

Home gardening has a long history that started when humans became sedentary, being traditionally considered an accessible source of food and medicinal plants to treat common illnesses. With trends towards urbanization and industrialization, particularly in the post-World War II period, the importance of home gardens as important spaces for growing food and medicinal plants reduced and they began to be increasingly seen as decorative and leisure spaces. However, the growing awareness of the negative impacts of agricultural intensification and urbanization for human health, food quality, ecosystem resilience, and biodiversity conservation motivated the emergence of new approaches concerning home gardens. Societies began to question the potential of nearby green infrastructures to human wellbeing, food provisioning, and the conservation of traditional varieties, as well as providers of important services, such as ecological corridors for wild species and carbon sinks. In this context. and to foster adaptive and resilient social-ecological systems, our supported viewpoint intends to be more than an exhaustive set of perceptions, but a reflection of ideas about the important contribution of home gardens to sustainable development. We envision these humble spaces strengthening social and ecological components, by providing a set of diversified and intermingled goods and services for an increasingly urban population.

Gardening activity and its relationship to mental health: Understudied and untapped in low-and middle-income countries

There is increasing awareness among researchers and health practitioners from high income countries about the potential mental health benefits of participating in gardening activities and spending substantial time in green spaces. However, this phenomenon is not well established in low- and middle-income countries. In this commentary, we discuss the evidence base surrounding the potential mental health benefits of participating in gardening activity and spending substantial time in a green space. We hope to stimulate discourse about incorporating these activities into mental health prevention in low- and middle-income countries.

Harvest for Health, a Randomized Controlled Trial Testing a Home-Based, Vegetable Gardening Intervention Among Older Cancer Survivors Across Alabama: An Analysis of Accrual and Modifications Made in Intervention Delivery and Assessment During COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Accelerated functional decline is a concern among older cancer survivors that threatens independence and quality of life. Pilot studies suggest that vegetable gardening interventions ameliorate functional decline through improved diet and physical activity.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this article was to describe the rationale, recruitment challenges, and enrollment for the Harvest for Health randomized controlled trial (RCT), which will test the impact of a home-based, vegetable gardening intervention on vegetable and fruit consumption, physical activity, and physical functioning among older cancer survivors. Modifications made to the intervention and assessments to assure safety and continuity of the RCT throughout the COVID-19 pandemic also are reported.

DESIGN

Harvest for Health is a 2-year, 2-arm, single-blinded, wait-list controlled RCT with cross-over.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

Medicare-eligible survivors of cancers with ≥60% 5-year survival were recruited across Alabama from October 1, 2016 to February 8, 2021.

INTERVENTION

Participants were randomly assigned to a wait-list control or a 1-year home-based gardening intervention and individually mentored by extension-certified master gardeners to cultivate spring, summer, and fall vegetable gardens.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Although the RCT's primary end point was a composite measure of vegetable and fruit consumption, physical activity, and physical functioning, this article focuses on recruitment and modifications made to the intervention and assessments during COVID-19.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

χ2 and t tests (α < .05) were used to compare enrolled vs unenrolled populations.

RESULTS

Older cancer survivors (n = 9,708) were contacted via mail and telephone; 1,460 indicated interest (15% response rate), 473 were screened eligible and consented, and 381 completed baseline assessments and were randomized. Enrollees did not differ from nonrespondents/refusals by race and ethnicity, or rural-urban status, but comprised significantly higher numbers of comparatively younger survivors, those who were female, and survivors of breast cancer (P < .001). Although COVID-19 delayed trial completion, protocol modifications overcame this barrier and study completion is anticipated by June 2022.

CONCLUSIONS

This RCT will provide evidence on the effects of a mentored vegetable gardening program among older cancer survivors. If efficacious, Harvest for Health represents a novel, multifaceted approach to improve lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes among cancer survivors-one with capacity for sustainability and widespread dissemination.

Well-Being Benefits of Horticulture-Based Activities for Community Dwelling People with Dementia: A Systematic Review

Most people living with dementia in the early-to-middle stages live in the community or in their own homes and engagement in enjoyable activities is fundamental to maintaining quality of life and autonomy. Horticulture-based activities are beneficial for the health and well-being for people living with dementia ("PLWD") in residential care settings, yet evidence within community settings, where the majority live, has not been comprehensively synthesized. A mixed studies systematic review protocol was registered and a systematic search conducted to June 2022 across MEDLINE, COCHRANE, Web of Science, Embase, Psycnet, CINAHL, PsycINFO databases, using terms relating to dementia and horticulture. Original studies examining group or individual horticulture-based programs for community-dwelling PLWD were included. Forty-five articles were selected for full review, eight met inclusion criteria and were retained for data extraction. Evidence from three mixed methods, two quantitative, two qualitative, and one case study design, involving a total of 178 community dwelling PLWD, was narratively summarized. Findings revealed that involvement in horticulture-based activities led to positive impacts on engagement, social interactions, and mental and physical well-being in PLWD. No conclusive evidence was found from included studies for improvement in cognitive function. As most studies to date have concentrated on PLWD in long-term care settings, future research should evaluate the effect of these types of activities in a more rigorous intervention design in community settings.

Sustainable and Active Program—Development and Application of SAVING Methodology

The SAVING project aimed to create a sustainable and active aging program to promote the transition to sustainable aging in residential structures for the elderly (RSEs), developing research activities to apply the best strategies and good practices regarding the promotion of an active, healthy, and sustainable aging regarding social, economic, environmental, and pedagogic aspects. All this innovative methodology was built on a living-lab approach applied in one RSE, that was used as a case study. The results showed that the creation of the SAVING Brigade allowed not only increased reflection and mutual learning, but also created better conditions to face uncertainties and obstacles. Moreover, the use of indicators supported the basic themes and enabled comparison with other studies, between institutions or programs. Finally, the Action Plan acted as a tool for the development of previously defined strategies. It is possible to conclude that the breadth of the concept of quality of life encompasses the physical health of the individual, their psychological state, their social relationships, their perceptions, and the relationship with the characteristics of the context in which they are inserted. Therefore, active, sustainable, and healthy aging should be the goal.

Urban Sensory Gardens with Aromatic Herbs in the Light of Climate Change: Therapeutic Potential and Memory-Dependent Smell Impact on Human Wellbeing

The aim of this study was to analyze urban sensory gardens containing aromatic herbs in terms of the plants used in them. The analysis considered the impact of climate change, particularly of higher temperatures, which may affect the character of contemporary urban gardens. The study was planned primarily in the context of the gardens’ therapeutic significance to their users. An important part of the work was to analyze how particular aromatic plants are perceived and received by the inhabitants, using the example of one of Poland's largest cities, Kraków, to assess whether they can have an impact on the inhabitants’ positive memories and thus improve their well-being. Initially, the plant composition of gardens located in Poland that feature aromatic herbs was analyzed. This was followed by a survey and an analysis of therapeutic gardens using the Trojanowska method as modified by Krzeptowska-Moszkowicz et al. The plant composition analysis of sensory gardens featuring herbs demonstrated that vulnerable plants in the Central European climate are being introduced to urban sensory gardens. In terms of major aromatic plants, it was found that almost every respondent reported the existence of scents that had some form of essential significance associated with personal memories. Considering the important sensory impact of water elements in therapeutic gardens, as well as problems related to the acquisition of drinking water or water used in agriculture or horticulture, the paper also addresses this topic. It was found that the city dwellers who filled in the questionnaire strongly preferred the introduction of more ecological solutions in the gardens related to water use—to collect and use rainwater, e.g., for watering, instead of piped water.

Feeling Safe and Nostalgia in Healthy Aging

The population of older adults worldwide is growing, with an urgent need for approaches that develop and maintain intrinsic capacity consistent with healthy aging. Theory and empirical research converge on feeling safe as central to healthy aging. However, there has been limited attention to resources that cultivate feeling safe to support healthy aging. Nostalgia, "a sentimental longing for one's past," is established as a source of comfort in response to social threat, existential threat, and self-threat. Drawing from extant theory and research, we build on these findings to position nostalgia as a regulatory resource that cultivates feeling safe and contributes to intrinsic capacity to support healthy aging. Using a narrative review method, we: (a) characterize feeling safe as a distinct affective dimension, (b) summarize the character of nostalgia in alignment with feeling safe, (c) propose a theoretical account of the mechanisms through which nostalgia cultivates feeling safe, (d) highlight the contribution of nostalgia to feeling safe and emotional, physiological, and behavioral regulatory capabilities in healthy aging, and (e) offer conclusions and direction for research.

Home Food Gardening: Benefits and Barriers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Santiago, Chile

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people live in an unprecedented way. This includes severe impacts on people's health and wellbeing such as stress, reduced physical activity and loneliness due to confinement. In parallel, people had to find ways to secure their food, with fresh food especially scarce in some regions due to lockdowns and restricted flow of goods. As in previous massive crises, the practice of home food gardening seemed to have increased during this pandemic. Yet we largely do not know which parts of society took to home food gardening, in which urban setting home food gardening was practiced, and to which extent this practice contributed to people's daily livelihoods during the pandemic. In this case study we explore (a) who practices home food gardening, (b) the garden characteristics, and (c) the main perceived benefits and barriers bound to home food gardening during the pandemic. We set up an online questionnaire targeted at the population of Santiago de Chile, for which we received 305 responses. Our results clearly show that the possibility of being in contact with nature and feeling less stress through practicing home food gardening were the most significant perceived benefits, while lack of or inadequate space to garden and limited knowledge on home food gardening were the main barriers. These findings highlight for the specific context of a metropolitan region in South America that access to gardens and green space could contribute to a just urban society. Likewise, the practice of home food gardening can be a relevant tool to cope with the adverse consequences of the pandemic by informing public initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles during this and future crises contexts and also in the awaited “ordinary” times.

Multidimensional Determinants of Well-Being Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults During the Early Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Taiwan

Objectives: Due to the insufficient and inadequate policies on the psychological well-being of the aged population, we aimed to examine the multidimensional determinants of well-being during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Data were collected from face-to-face interviews with1,232 participants aged 50 and older living in Southern Taiwan. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the associations between demographics, the physical health, mental health, social ties domains, and well-being. Results: We found that (i) in physical health, no dental problems and exercise were related to better well-being; (ii) in mental health, stress and depression decreased well-being, but laughing every day, and a positive attitude toward aging had adverse effects; and (iii) in social ties, subjective social status, family support, and place attachment to the community were positively associated with well-being. Discussion: Our findings highlight the multidimensional needs at the individual and community levels for the Chinese population.

Balance in life as a prerequisite for community-dwelling older adults' sense of health and well-being after retirement: an interview-based study

Purpose

This study aimed to describe community-dwelling older adults’ perceptions of health and well-being in life after retirement.

Methods

This study is part of a larger project using a mixed-methods design to address lifestyles’ influence on community-dwelling older adults’ health. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 older adults in age 70 to 95 years. Data were analysed according to a phenomenographic approach.

Results

The results encompass four categories describing variations in community-dwelling older adults’ perceptions of health and well-being after retirement: feeling well despite illness and disease, interacting with and being useful for oneself and others, independently embracing opportunities and engaging in life, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusions

The absence of illness and disease is not a clear prerequisite for a sense of health and well-being. To promote and preserve health and well-being after retirement, older adults strived for—and coached themselves to uphold—a balance in life, focusing on not burdening others. This life orientation after retirement must be acknowledged by society at large, especially from an ageist perspective, and in health and social care to preserve and promote health and well-being.

Associations of Vigorous Gardening With Cardiometabolic Risk Markers for Middle-Aged and Older Adults

This study investigates the associations of vigorous-intensity gardening time with cardiometabolic health risk markers. This cross-sectional study (AusDiab) analyzed 2011-2012 data of 3,664 adults (55% women, mean [range], age = 59.3 [34-94] years) in Australia. Multiple linear regression models examined associations of time spent participating in vigorous gardening (0, <150 min/week, ≥150 min/week) with a clustered cardiometabolic risk (CMR) score and its components, for the whole sample and stratified by age and gender. Of participants, 61% did no vigorous gardening, 23% reported <150 min/week, and 16% reported ≥150 min/week. In the whole sample, spending ≥150 min/week in vigorous gardening was associated with lower CMR (lower CMR score, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, and triglycerides) compared with no vigorous gardening. Stratified analyses suggested that these associations were almost exclusively observed for older adults and women. These findings suggest the public health potential of vigorous-intensity gardening in reducing CMR.

Evidence on the contribution of community gardens to promote physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

There has been growing interest in community gardens as an effective and affordable health promotion strategy. However, most available evidence is derived from qualitative studies, whereas quantitative research on this subject is limited.

OBJECTIVES

To synthetize the literature about physical and mental health outcomes associated with community gardening. Two main questions were addressed: a) is there evidence, from quantitative studies, that community gardening is associated to physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals? b) Does community gardening provokes any discomfort in terms of physical health, i.e., bodily pain, to their beneficiaries?

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was carried out following PRISMA guidelines by searching relevant electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science). Empirical, quantitative studies published in English with no restrictions concerning the date of publication were considered eligible. The quality of the evidence was appraised using the tool developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies.

RESULTS

Overall, 8 studies were considered eligible, of which seven studies were rated as having good methodological quality (one scored as fair). Community gardeners had significantly better health outcomes than their neighbours not engaged in gardening activities in terms of life satisfaction, happiness, general health, mental health, and social cohesion.

CONCLUSION

Community gardens are associated to health gains for their users, irrespective of age, being an affordable and efficient way of promoting physical and mental health and well-being. To encourage the design, maintenance, and prospective evaluation of supportive urban environments promoting healthy and, at the same time, sustainable lifestyles, is essential to achieve public health gains and environmental sustainability.

Effects of Horticultural Activities on Attitudes toward Aging, Sense of Hope and Hand-Eye Coordination in Older Adults in Residential Care Facilities

This study investigated the effects of an 8-week horticultural activity intervention on attitudes toward aging, sense of hope, and hand-eye coordination in 88 older adults in residential care facilities. In the experimental group, the mean score for "attitudes toward aging" increased from 3.81 before the intervention to 4.74 points after the intervention (standard deviation SD = 0.24 and 0.27, respectively), and the control group dropped from 3.75 to 3.70 (standard deviations, respectively SD = 0.27 and 0.28). The mean score for "sense of hope" increased from 3.28 before the intervention to 3.81 points after the intervention (SD = 0.49 and 0.26, respectively). In contrast to the control group, the mean score gradually declined from 3.26 to 3.16 points (standard deviation SD = 0.54 and 0.48, respectively). In the test of hand-eye coordination, the time required to complete the cup stacking test significantly decreased from 33.56 to 25.38 s in the experimental group but did not significantly change in the control group. Generalized estimating equation analysis revealed a significant interaction between group and time (p < 0.001). The data trends revealed significant differences in outcomes between the experimental group and the control group. At 3 months after the end of the study, the effect size in the experimental group remained higher than that in the control group.

Home garden use during COVID-19: Associations with physical and mental wellbeing in older adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of people's lives. Lockdown measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have been more stringent for those aged over 70, at highest risk for the disease. Here, we examine whether home garden usage is associated with self-reported mental and physical wellbeing in older adults, during COVID-19 lockdown in Scotland. This study analysed data from 171 individuals (mean age 84 ± 0.5 years) from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 study who completed an online survey approximately two months after lockdown commenced (May/June, 2020), and reported having access to a home garden. The survey also included items on garden activities (gardening, relaxing), frequency of garden usage during lockdown, and measures of self-rated physical health, emotional and mental health, anxiety about COVID-19, and sleep quality. Ordinal regression models were adjusted for sex, living alone, education, occupational social class, anxiety and depressive symptoms, body mass index, and history of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Neither gardening nor relaxing in the garden were associated with health outcomes. However, higher frequency of garden usage during lockdown was associated with better self-rated physical health (P = 0.005), emotional and mental health (P = 0.04), sleep quality (P = 0.03), and a composite health score (P = 0.001), after adjusting for covariates. None of the garden measures were associated with perceived change in physical health, mental and emotional health, or sleep quality, from pre-lockdown levels. The results of the current study provide support for positive health benefits of spending time in a garden-though associations may be bidirectional-and suggest that domestic gardens could be a potential health resource during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Activities outside of the care setting for people with dementia: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To summarise the evidence from interventions investigating the effects of out of care setting activities on people with dementia living in residential aged care.

DESIGN

A systematic review.

METHODS

A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library) was performed to identify intervention trials published from journal inception to January 2020. Controlled trials, or quasi-experimental trials, which measured pre-intervention, post-intervention or during-intervention outcomes, where the participants were required to leave the care setting to participate in an intervention, were eligible for inclusion. Quality appraisal of the studies was performed following the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias or Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tools.

RESULTS

Of the 4155 articles screened, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria from 9 different studies. The number of participants in the studies ranged from 6 to 70 people living with dementia and lasted for 3 weeks up to 5 months. The interventions were aquatic exercise, wheelchair cycling, art gallery discussion groups, an intergenerational mentorship programme, horse riding, walking and outdoor gardening. Overall, the studies indicated preliminary evidence of psychological (n=7), physical (n=4) and physiological (n=1) benefits, and all interventions were feasible to conduct away from the aged care facilities. However, the low number of participants in the included studies (n=177), the absence of a control group in all but three studies, and potential for selection bias, limits the generalisability of the findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Activities outside of the residential aged care setting have the potential to be effective at providing a range of benefits for people living with dementia. Higher quality studies are required to encourage care providers to implement these type of activities in dementia care settings.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42020166518.

Characterizing Urban Home Gardening and Associated Factors to Shape Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Non-Farmers in Thailand

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between home gardening and sufficient fruit and vegetable (FV) intake among non-farmers in Thailand, and examine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics and other associated factors on home gardening among non-farmers in urban areas. Data were collected by a cross-sectional survey of a sample of Thai non-farmers (N = 5634). Information on self-reported home gardening, FV intake, health-related behaviors, and socio-demographic characteristics was collected via questionnaire. The findings show that home gardening is significantly associated with sufficient FV intake among non-farmers (p < 0.001). Within the non-farmer group who lived in urban areas, 9% gardened FV at home. Home gardening was significantly associated with socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age and occupation), physical activity, fear of pesticide contamination of FV, and FV safety awareness among the urban non-farmers. Respondents who were female, in the middle-adulthood group, practiced regular physical activity, feared pesticide contamination, and had high awareness of FV safety had the highest probability of gardening at home (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The Thai government should pay more attention to factors that influence urban home gardening by providing support, building local capacity, and implementing effective interventions with the urban population.

Nature Relatedness of Recreational Horseback Riders and Its Association with Mood and Wellbeing

Connectedness to nature and nature contact can provide many benefits to humans, like stress reduction, recovery from illness, and increased positive emotions. Likewise, recreational horseback riding is a widespread sports activity with the potential to enhance physical and psychological health. Yet, the influence of connectedness to nature on the wellbeing of older aged recreational horseback riders has not been investigated so far. The aim of the present study therefore was to explore the relationship between nature relatedness and physical, psychological and social wellbeing and happiness. The study sample was composed of Austrian recreational horseback riders aged 45 years and older, who were compared with dog owners and people without pets (n = 178). We found significantly higher nature relatedness, significantly higher overall wellbeing and a significantly better mood rating in recreational horseback riders compared to people without pets and similar scores compared to dog owners. Physical wellbeing is correlated with overall nature relatedness in horseback riders and dog owners, but no correlation was found in people without pets. A structural equation model shows a direct relationship between nature relatedness and mood in horseback riders and an indirect relationship through pet attachment in dog owners. The results suggest the activity with horses and dogs in nature environments is a source of wellbeing, enjoyment, self-confidence and social contacts.