Horticulture Therapy for Older Adults with Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) - Report Series # 3

摘要

Horticulture therapy involves the use of simple gardening activities to promote higher intellectual functioning, enhance social interactions and to improve both emotional stability and physical functioning. This therapeutic method could be especially relevant to individuals with dementia who may exhibit behavioural and emotional manifestations of the disease. This study, conducted in the winter of 2004, employed a 5-week horticultural therapy program with four older adults who exhibited mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Data were gathered and evaluated based on field notes prepared by the researcher. Field notes encompassed three areas of function: cognitive, physical and social; patterns/changes were tracked during each session. Results of this brief pilot project demonstrated some improvement in cognitive function and increased social/physical functioning for both motivated and less motivated participants.