Is Gardening in Raised beds easy for Elders and the Less Able
One of the things we never tend to think about in our younger life is how we will cope with everyday things we do in life when we move into our older years.
One of those day to day activities especially in the spring,summer and autumn months is tending to your garden no matter the size.
Lets see id we cam answer some of the questions asked by some asking is Gardening in Raised beds easy for Elders and the Less Able
Image Source: FreeImages
One of the tendencies of those in their elder years is to minimise the space thru garden in is to make it more manageable.
Raised bed gardening is one of the ways for individuals of all ages and abilities to maintain their love of gatdening ,growing and planting without the risk of overdoing it and causing themselves any discomfort or injury and at the same time holding on to that peice of independence and creativity they have much pride in.
.What is a Raised Bed Garden?
A raised bed garden is a form of garden planted in a container whether it is small or large . Some of the original styles of raised bed were formed directly on top of an existing peice of land which sits just above garden level. Mainly designed for planting vegetables and crops and seperating them from your main garden area.
In more recent times raised beds and planters have been designed to be more accessible,mobile in some cases and aesthetically pleasing . These days they are formed from not only timber boards but brick,metal and plastic.
Examples of raised garden beds can be found at Bestraisedgardenbeds.com
Easy Accessibility for Elder and Disabled Individuals
If you have back problems or arthritis or any ailments then raised beds make it easy to reach and access all areas of your garden bed,
Knee problems, bad backs, and arthritis are common reasons that many elderly people find it hard to tend to their min garden areas.Many people find kneeling or squatting to garden uncomfortable or even painful. trying to garden at ground level can be a real challenge.
The height of the more modern sized garden bed is perfect for those who may not be able to tend to their main garden area for long period of time so the essence of a high standing planter box is that they are easily accessible whether standing for a short time or from a chair or bench .
The positioning of your raised planter is key to making it more accessible..Many people decide to place the taised unit on a hardstanding patio area or on a flat part of the grassed garden area.This will mitigate the ris of trips and falls.
Wheelchair access is also an important factor. If you are lucy enough to have a flush level access into your garden area then the distance to your patio or flay garden or yard area is generally short
Image Source: FreeImages
Is there less risk of injury when working on a raised bed garden or planter
This question feeds into a few points we have made earlier in the article. Working at a sensible and comfortable height means there is less chance of sustaining an injury.
The injuries of which can be anything from a pulled muscle, a strained back,breathlessness amongst others.
If you take the height of a raised bed such as the Cedar Raised Garden Planter Box Kit then it is quite easy to see that the risk of injury is minimalised by the working height,the accessibility around the bed rather than working on a lower level bed just above ground level
Other reasons that using a higher level raised planter box are
- More control over watering and fertilizing your crops,vegetables etc. .
- Rotating your crops is much easier with raised beds
- You can grow more using less space in raised bed gardens
- Pest control is easier in a contained space like a raised bed garde
- No Heavy Lifting to Plant or Harvest
- Raised beds are easy to maintain
What are the benefits of outdoor gardening on a raised garden bed
Being outdoors in the garden has a number of health benefits and can actually improve health and wellbeing.
Braething in that fresh air for one gives you many health benefits.Getting direct sunlight will help your skin .As you age the skin thins which means you are more susceptable to bruising from knocks and bangs.
Daylight can help with keeping your eyesight healthy and being active outdoors helps the muscles in the eyes
It can be an rnjoyable form of ecercise improving strength and adds to your mental strength roo. Stimulating the brain can be more than beneficial as it is a well known fact that eeping the mind busy can keep away forms of illness such as Demantia
Conclusion
We touched on a number of key points in this article to try and understand if it is possible for those in their older years or with a disability can take advantage of using a higher srtabding raised garden planter to continue with their love of gardenong and growing the produce of their choice.
The answer is Yes of course in fact it should be encouraged because their should neve be an age or obstruction put in the way of anubody regardless of their age or ability.
Tou too can get involved in the discussion helping us answer the question is Gardening in Raised beds easy for Elders and the Less Able
You can find out more about this subject at Age Space