Paoli, PA - April 16, 2003 - Yard work is hard work, no matter what your age. But some Senior Citizens may have more difficulty completing routine garden tasks because of: - arthritic hands, knees, etc.
- decreased strength and/or mobility
- vision problems
Seniors should check with their physician prior to doing any strenuous activity, including gardening. Here are five tips and tools that help make gardening easier and safer.- Go for a walk or stretch before garden activities. The Arthritis Foundation recommends a warm up to help prevent injuries. Use ergonomic garden tools that leverage your strength and flexibility and minimize the strain on the wrists.
- Build raised beds around your home or make a container garden on the patio. This is a good way to reduce or eliminate the need to bend or kneel while gardening. If you must kneel, try using a garden kneeler or bench seat. It provides support when rising from a kneeling position and a sturdy seat when turned upside down.
- Minimize the need to weed and water. Choose low maintenance, heat tolerant perennial plants. Lay protective plastic and mulch to prevent weeds. Instead of using a heavy shovel, you can easily place mulch in the yard with the lightweight Garden Claws. Make watering the garden easier with the push-button Comfort Garden Nozzle. Since it does not have a squeeze trigger, it is easier for those with a weak handgrip.
- Take your time walking across the lawn. If you use a cane, be sure to take it with you into the garden. It will help you be steady on uneven ground. You can also fit your cane with a flat, triangle-shaped cane base. It's designed to be used on grass and won't sink into the ground like a regular cane tip may.
- Use a magnifier, if necessary, to read the directions on the back of seed packets and garden chemical containers. Also, people with vision problems may not derive as much visual joy from the garden as others. Choose sweet-smelling and/or textured plants such as lavender for scent and lamb's ear for texture. You may want to avoid roses and other plants with thorns. Also, plant vegetables and taste the goodness of the garden.
Horticultural therapy programs in physical rehabilitation centers, senior living facilities and botanical gardens across the country employ many of these same techniques. You can find many of the products described here at Wellhaven Helpful Gifts for Seniors. Visit their web site at www.wellhaven.com for more product information.
##About Wellhaven
Wellhaven, LLC offers Helpful Gifts for Seniors, enabling easier every day living for Senior Citizens. They offer hundreds of unique and useful gifts in categories such as home and garden, car and travel, vision and hearing, arthritis aids, cane and walker accessories, entertainment and social interaction. Wellhaven, LLC is a female-owned, small business headquartered in Paoli, PA and offers its products online at www.wellhaven.com. Media Contact:
Patricia Curry
Wellhaven, LLC
Gifts for Seniors
Office: 610-640-3366
Fax: 610-640-3338
Web site: www.wellhaven.com |
