RESEARCH

New Flower Bed Design and Verification Supporting Horticultural Therapy Classes Based on Behavioral Observation

The results showed that with the “Elder Green” flower beds, the elderly used both their dominant and non-dominant hands more evenly, with the test group using their non-dominant hand 17.58% of the time compared to the control group. Additionally, the time the elderly spent staring into space or resting decreased significantly to 18.22% in the test group, compared to 35.96% in the control group.

Program Types: Therapeutic

Population Groups: Older Adults/Seniors, Dementia/Traumatic & Acquired Brain Injuries, Mental Health Challenges/Trauma

Setting or Context: Assisted Living/Long-Term Care Homes

Health and Wellness Outcomes: Improved Mental Health, Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Greater Sense of Purpose, Improved Stress Management, Improved Balance, Increased Social Engagement & Skills, Increased Self-Efficacy

Allied Profession Intersections: Occupational Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, Social Work, Landscape Design, Nursing

Type of Activity: Sensory Stimulation, Outdoor Gardening, Plant Propagation, Growing Plants from Seed, Forest/Natural Area Immersion

Evidence Type: Peer-Reviewed Studies, Observational Research, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research

Measurement and Evaluation: Metrics for Mental Health, Metrics for Physical Health, Patient-Reported Outcomes

Access: Free

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Summary

This research paper looks at how to improve gardening activities for elderly people in care, as these activities, called horticultural therapy, can be good for their emotional, mental, social, and physical health. The study started by observing how current gardening classes were run at a nursing home called “House of Love”. The researchers used behavioral observation, which means they watched and recorded what the elderly did during the classes, focusing on things like how they used tools, interacted with others, and their posture. They noticed problems like awkward postures due to unsuitable tools and flower bed designs, uneven attention from instructors, and a lack of interaction among the participants. This initial observation acted as the “before” picture.

Based on these observations, the researchers designed a new type of flower bed called “Elder Green”. This flower bed was designed to be modular, adjustable for different needs, and easier for elderly people, including those in wheelchairs, to use comfortably. It had features like individual operating platforms, built-in storage, and a circular arrangement to encourage interaction and ensure the instructor could easily reach everyone. After introducing these new flower beds, the researchers again used behavioral observation in a new class (the “after” picture or test group) to see if the design improved things compared to the original classes (control groups).

Link

Zheng, M.C. (2018). New flower bed design and verification supporting horticultural therapy classes based on behavioral observation. Occupational Therapy-Therapeutic and Creative Use of Activity. IntechOpen

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