RESEARCH
Virtual Horticultural Therapy: A Qualitative Study Capturing University Students’ Perspectives on Benefits, Challenges and Future Issues
Summary
This study explores the application of virtual horticultural therapy (HT) in eldercare settings, a non-pharmacological intervention that uses plants and gardening to improve health. The research acknowledges Japan’s rapidly aging population and the importance of interventions that provide purpose and community connection for the elderly. It highlights that traditional face-to-face HT has been shown to offer benefits such as reducing dementia risk, improving mood, and enhancing motor skills, but the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated exploring alternative delivery methods like virtual sessions to prevent infection risks. The study’s purpose was to clarify the benefits, barriers, challenges, and future issues of virtual HT from the perspective of those delivering it.
The research employed a qualitative study design using the Structure Construction Qualitative Research Method (SCQRM). The participants were five university students from an occupational therapy department who worked alongside an experienced HT practitioner/occupational therapist to deliver virtual HT sessions to elderly residents in an eldercare facility via platforms like Zoom. The setup involved synchronized video and audio using multiple cameras and microphones to allow for remote instruction and observation of participants. Activities were selected based on the participants’ abilities and included various plant-based tasks designed to stimulate senses and motor skills. The students completed a questionnaire after the sessions, and their free-text comments were analyzed using the Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT) method to identify key themes.
