Elderly Who Received Horticulturel Therapy

In recent years, the elderly population is increasing due to the decrease in the fertility rate in our country, the lifetime due to the improvement in health conditions, the prevention of diseases before they occur as a result of the developments in medicine and technology and that they can be treated successfully even if they occur.

In our country, due to rapid population growth, industrialization and urbanization, transformation into a nuclear family due to internal and external migration, the presence of economic problems, women's participation in working life, young people's perspective on old age, intergenerational communication disorders and addiction make the home care of the elderly difficult and the elderly are placed in different institutions from the family environment. The opportunities of the elderly who go to the institution to get to know and adapt to the environment are lost, and the elderly individual may have feelings such as isolation, loneliness and feeling worthless.

The phenomenon of loneliness is seen in all age groups, but it is a problem specific to the elderly. Loneliness is a common and disturbing problem for many elderly people. The emotional support of elderly individuals is not sufficient, and their friendship relationships are limited, which increases their loneliness. Social support systems, elderly caregivers and healthcare professionals play an important role in coping with loneliness problems and high levels of happiness in the nursing home.

Horticultural Therapy (HT) method refers to the process of using gardening as a method to maintain and improve the existing health status of the individual, which can be applied by healthcare professionals. Horticultural therapy method is an application that positively contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, emotional processes and entertainment processes of the elderly. Collins and O 'Callaghan (2008 ) and Yao and Chen (2016) showed that older individuals with serious illness and weakness had improved health outcomes when they were busy with plants. In a study by Yao and Chen (2016); Individuals aged 65 years and older were treated with HT once a week for eight weeks, and an increase in daily life activities, happiness and interpersonal affinity was observed. In another semi-experimental study by Tse (2010), elderly individuals were given HT for eight weeks, after which an increase in life satisfaction and social communication of the elderly and a significant decrease in loneliness were found. These results showed that HT can be used for therapeutic purposes in the elderly.