HORTICULTURE THERAPY

Folk lore used to say gardening is cheaper than therapy – and you get tomatoes."
But today, gardening is serious therapy – and you still get tomatoes, vegetables and blooms aplenty. It is called horticultural therapy and it is widely practiced throughout the world in the treatment of various ailments and disabilities. Its popularity stems from the fact that many people feel better and more productive after working the soil or encouraging the growth of a tender shoot.

Horticultural therapy gets people involved in gardening activities as part of a treatment plan that is overseen by the medical staff – including a trained horticulture therapist. Years of experience show horticultural therapy is an effective and beneficial treatment for people of all ages and abilities. It might be suggested for people recovering from a stroke, the blind and partially sighted people, and people dealing with heart disease, early stages of dementia and physical and learning disabilities.

It helps by:
•    enhancing a person's rehabilitation after an illness encouraging  people to learn new skills improving physical motion and balance encouraging a sense of well being.

slowing down the deterioration that accompanies a degenerative illnesHorticultural therapy is not a Hherapy. Its first recorded use dates back to ancient Egypt when court physicians directed members of the royal family who were mentally disturbed to take walks in the palace gardens. Flash forward to the late 1700s, and people in the United States, England and Spain began to see horticultural therapy as an accepted form of treatment. But it was the "Father of American Psychiatry," Dr. Benjamin Rush, who first published his studies in 1798 on the curative effects of field labour on the mentally ill. The idea caught on and has only continued to bloom.The first greenhouse, built solely for therapeutic purposes, was opened in 1879 by Friends Hospital in Philadelphia. Gardening was used as a recreational aid for wounded World War I veterans who faced a long-term recovery. But by World War II, the medical world understood that the benefits of horticultural therapy went far beyond a diversionary tactic. At that point, horticultural therapy became a valid part of physical therapy.

Today, horticulture therapy is used in many areas of rehabilitation. Patients can become involved in many aspects of gardening – from sowing the seeds to selling the fruits of their labuor. The goal is to experience a positive improvement in their lives. By working in a greenhouse, therapy can go on year round. If the weather is nice, the program can move outside. Some gardening activities included in horticultural therapy include:
                                                                                                   
                                                                                   

•    starting seeds
•    watering the plants
•    weeding the beds
•    repotting plants
•    working with fresh flowers – either making arrangements or drying and pressing them for future use

While horticultural therapy is not the only therapy patients take part in, it can be a welcomed change of pace from more clinical therapies. As patients weed, dig in the soil, or plant, pluck and thin their plants, they can also work on the skills they need to improve – such as balance, endurance, memory, mobility and even socialization. Even from a wheelchair, a patient can strengthen muscles and improve their coordination. And, as they look down on the plants they have raised, they can feel the enjoyment that comes from their productive efforts.

Horticultural therapy is offered as a group or individual activity. It can also be part of other therapy programs, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy and even speech therapy. These therapists, working with a registered horticultural therapist, will develop a plan to meet the patient's needs.
The horticultural therapist is responsible for providing the kind of garden environment that best suits a therapeutic use. They seek to develop a garden space that encourages relaxation and also accommodates people with a wide range of abilities. Some things that help create that environment include:
•    Wide, gently graded entrances and paths for patients in wheelchairs. Six-foot paths are best.
•    Non-skid surfaces inside the greenhouse
•    Raised beds and containers that the gardeners can reach from a sitting position
•    Specially adapted tools
•    A sensory-stimulating environment where the plants have been selected with the fragrance and color in mind
•    A greenhouse so the gardening doesn't have to stop because the weather is not suitable.
There is no doubt that people with physical or mental disabilities will benefit from gardening as part of their therapy. But even more important, the patient can transplant the experience back at home. The skillstransfer to abackyard garden or a patio plant, just as well as a therapeutic greenhouse. What started as a therapy program in a clinic setting could be a new hobby that enhances your home environment and keeps you on the road to recovery.

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. All medical information presented should be discussed with your healthcare professional. Remember, the failure to seek timely medical advice can have serious ramifications. We urge you to discuss any current health related problems you are experiencing with a healthcare professional immediately.