If you love to garden, you’re sure to be in good company among Northern Alberta retirement community residents. Gardening is a fabulous hobby for all ages — but is particularly great for seniors. It is an excellent way to be active, get some fresh air, and stay mentally sharp.
Whether you’re a new member of an independent or assisted living community, or waiting to transition into one, you might have questions about continuing your gardening activities. There are plenty of ways to embrace your love of gardening within your new space. At Park Place Seniors Living, we always do our best to provide our residents with the opportunity to continue activities they love.
Here are a few tips for gardening within your Northern Alberta senior’s community:
Ensure you’re staying safe
The most important tip for maintaining any hobby as a senior is to ensure you’re staying safe. Gardening can be great exercise. But, because it is a form of physical activity it’s always a good idea to stretch beforehand to avoid any injuries.
If you are planning on doing gardening work for an extended amount of time, it’s also important to take frequent breaks and make sure you’re not bending over for too long. If there are outdoor gardening opportunities at your Northern Alberta retirement community, you can ask about raised garden beds. You can also ask about other accommodations like the addition of benches or sitting areas throughout the gardens. This will help remind you to pause and sit down during your gardening time.
Inquire about retirement community gardening opportunities
There may be ways to continue your gardening hobbies within your Northern Alberta independent or assisted living facility that you’re not even aware of. Don’t hesitate to ask a staff member about potential options or if there are other ways to contribute your gardening skills.
Many retirement communities, like those in the Park Place family, have wonderful fresh meal programs. This could mean a small herb or veggie garden on site that you might be able to help care for. Often, there are also landscaped outdoor spaces where you may be able to plant some flowers or assist with light maintenance if physically able.
Embrace indoor or window gardening
All independent or assisted living communities are unique. If there are not many opportunities to participate in outdoor gardening, or you have physical limitations, embracing indoor or window gardening is a great option.
There are plenty of interesting houseplants that thrive indoors and benefit from thoughtful care. Several types of flowers, herbs, and veggies can still be grown either indoors or on a windowsill or small patio area. At Park Place Seniors Living, we always encourage incoming residents to bring their favourite items from home to personalize their space. This means if you already have a few plants you love, you can continue to care for them within your Northern Alberta retirement community.
There’s no reason you can’t continue your love of gardening once you transition into an independent or assisted living community in Northern Alberta. Retirement is a time for embracing your interests. Gardening also provides both physical and mental benefits which make it a particularly great hobby to maintain. If you’re set to move into a Park Place retirement community soon or are considering the transition, feel free to contact us for more information about options to continue your favourite activities.