The Benefits of Gardening for Older Adults: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Abstract
This article systematically reviews evidence for gardening as a beneficial activity for older adults. The authors reviewed 22 articles that assessed the benefits of gardening for both community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults. Through various research designs (quantitative and qualitative) and measurements utilized, the results reveal that gardening can be an activity that promotes overall health and quality of life, physical strength, fitness and flexibility, cognitive ability, and socialization. The implementation of various aspects of gardening as health-promoting activities transcend contexts of practice and disciplines and can be used in urban and rural communities as both individual and group activities.
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Previous systematic reviews of gardening and health presented no quantitative synthesis.
“However, since they presented no quantitative synthesis and only focused on health benefits of allotment gardening (Wang and MacMillan, 2013) and for elderly people (Genter et al., 2015), respectively, more comprehensive and convincing evidence is still wanting.”
From Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis (2017) · cites this paper as Wang and MacMillan, 2013
There have recently been two systematic reviews of studies exploring the association between gardening and health.
“There have recently been two systematic reviews of studies exploring the association between gardening and health (Genter et al., 2015, Wang and MacMillan, 2013).”
From Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis (2017) · cites this paper as Wang and MacMillan, 2013
Previous systematic reviews of gardening and health focused only on allotment gardening or elderly people.
“However, since they presented no quantitative synthesis and only focused on health benefits of allotment gardening (Wang and MacMillan, 2013) and for elderly people (Genter et al., 2015), respectively, more comprehensive and convincing evidence is still wanting.”
From Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis (2017) · cites this paper as Wang and MacMillan, 2013
Cites
Sommerfeld, A. J., Waliczek, T. M., & Zajicek, J. M. (2010) · HortTechnology · doi:10.21273/horttech.20.4.705 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
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Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis
Soga, M., Gaston, K. J., & Yamaura, Y. (2017) · Preventive Medicine Reports · doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007 · Cited by 688 · see citing works
“There is increasing awareness among researchers and health practitioners of the potential health benefits derived fromgardening activities (Clatworthy et al., 2013; Genter et al., 2015; Wang and MacMillan, 2013).”
BackgroundInfluentialHowarth, M., Brettle, A., Hardman, M., & Maden, M. (2020) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-036923 · Cited by 198 · see citing works
Lin, T.-Y., Huang, C.-M., Hsu, H.-P., Liao, J.-Y., Cheng, V. Y.-W., Wang, S.-W., & Guo, J.-L. (2020) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/19002 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Wang, J.-D., & Lêng, C. H. (2016) · Clinical Interventions in Aging · doi:10.2147/cia.s107197 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
- Authors
- Wang, D., & MacMillan, T.
- Affiliations
- Long Island University (US)
- State University of New York (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wang, Donna
- Venue
- Activities, Adaptation & Aging
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2013-04
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 153-181
- ISSN
- 0192-4788 (ISSN-L)
- 1544-4368
- OpenAlex
- W2125771394
- Cited by
- 189
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9
- FWCI
- 0.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Activities Adaptation & Aging (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Therapy Practice and Research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Urban Green Space and Health
- Keywords
- gardening, older adults, health promotion, quality of life, physical fitness, cognitive function, socialization, community-dwelling older adults, institutionalized elderly, group activities
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