Episode 40: How Does Nature Help Seniors?

Nature has an amazing ability to restore physical and mental wellbeing through simple activities such as walking, birdwatching, gardening, and enjoying the fresh air.

Elderly people can find solace in nature which helps them relax and escape from everyday stress. Nature-based activities offer many benefits for older adults, allowing them to stay active and connected to their surroundings.

Walking in nature or even appreciating it from the comfort of home can help older people reduce stress, improve their physical health and stay connected to their community.

A short walk outside provides a chance for elderly individuals to get some exercise, while enjoying the beauty of nature.

The fresh air and sunshine can be especially helpful during times of mental distress or depression.

The University of Minnesota has studied the positive effects of biophilic design on elderly people.

Biophilic Design is a type of design that puts nature and natural elements at its center.

The research conducted by the university concluded that this type of design can reduce stress in seniors and help improve their overall wellbeing.

Additionally, the calming effect of nature can help to ease symptoms associated with chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Biophilic design also encourages physical activity in older individuals and can provide them with an outdoor space where they can socialize and stay active, promoting a great daily routine.

Ultimately, biophilic design is a simple yet effective way to promote overall health and wellness in seniors.

The advantages of biophilic design aren’t limited to just senior living communities.

Studies have found that incorporating natural elements into the design of office spaces can boost productivity, reduce stress and chronic illness and improve overall job satisfaction amongst employees.

Studies have also shown that even looking at pictures of nature can reduce stress.

For seniors who are unable to physically leave their homes, images of natural settings can be just as powerful in soothing the mind and lifting spirits.

There is also evidence that being around plants and greenery helps elderly individuals stay connected to their community and makes them feel happier and more satisfied with their lives.

Nature can be a powerful source of healing and comfort for the elderly. Incorporating “blue spaces” into the environment, such as water features, can reduce stress, increase attention span, and improve overall mental health and the bodies’ immune system.

Additionally, biophilic design principles can be utilized to bring elements of nature into both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Read Full Article:https://https://homedesignsforlife.com/how-does-nature-help-the-elderly/

Transcript

Janet: 0:44

Hello everyone, and thank you for being with me today. Today's podcast is going to be based on one of my articles that I recently published, and the title is, how Does Nature Healthy Elderly? So I wrote this article because I think that nature is. Such an important part of making us happy. I don't know if many of you have heard the term vitamin N, that's n stands for nature.

1:14

So I wanted to talk about how we can use nature to make our lives better. And when I say make our lives better, I'm referring to. Make us healthier, improve our mood, improve our mental health, and also make our living spaces more beautiful. So the topic that I'm going to be discussing is the topic of biophilic design. This may be a new word for many of you. and it was for me as well. So I did some research and I really found some amazing information and so I turned it into an article and now a podcast. So let's get right to it. So, as we know, nature has an amazing ability to restore physical and mental wellbeing through simple activities such as walking. Bird watching, gardening and enjoying the fresh air. Elderly people can find solace in nature, which helps them relax and escape from everyday stress. Nature-based activities offer many benefits for older adults, allowing them to stay active and connected to their surround. walking in nature or even appreciating it from the comfort of your home can help older people reduce stress, improve their physical health, and stay connected to their community. So let's talk about what is biophilic design. Biophilic design is a concept in architecture and urban planning that focuses on integrating natural elements into built environment The aim of biophilic design is to create structures that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also promote human health and wellbeing. It takes into consideration the positive effects nature can have on people's physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as on their social interactions in everyday life. This design approach has been gaining more attention in recent. As people of all ages have become increasingly conscious of the need to reconnect with nature in order to promote a healthier lifestyle and promote quality of life. So now let's talk about how can we incorporate biophilic design into our home decor? Well, there are actually many different ways we can. So biophilic design can be done through pictures or let's say materials that we use in our home design, even the colors that we choose on our walls. So what are three benefits of biophilic design? Well, three benefits are it provides a positive impact on mental. So it can improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that the presence of nature, any workplace encourages feelings of relaxation and calm, which can increase productivity and creativity. Number two, improved air quality. Incorporating plants into biophilic designs, help to filter pollutants, odor, and carbon dioxide from the. This can lead to improved indoor air quality, which can reduce symptoms of asthma and allergies for those living or working in a space. Number three, you get an enhanced sense of wellbeing. The presence of nature helps to create a sense of wellbeing that cannot be achieved through artificial elements alone. Being in contact with nature can reduce stress and anxiety. Lower blood pressure, increase positive emotions and aid in relaxation. This can lead to improved mental and physical health for those living or working in spaces that use biophilic design. So right there alone, those are three great areas. that anyone is going to benefit from, but especially older adults that can tend to suffer from isolation and depression. So how can we bring in biophilic design into the interior of our home? Well, I'm gonna give you a list of examples. Number one, introducing plants and green walls into interior. Which not only improves air quality, but also provides colorful visual stimulation. And not to mention color contrasts. Incorporating natural materials like wood and stone into a design, bringing the outdoors in and creating a more comforting atmosphere. And now to mention, these materials are also long lasting and usually have lower mainten. Using natural light sources to brighten a room, which also reduces the need for electrical lighting. This is also going to improve your ability to see in that space, so it's going to reduce your fall risk utilizing natural ventilation and air circulation systems that provide fresh air while reducing energy con. Also incorporating water features such as ponds and fountains into interior designs, providing calming sounds and visual effects. Installing green walls or vertical gardens, which offer views of nature, reduce air pollution, and provide habitats for wildlife. Utilizing plants to improve indoor air quality by filtering out pollutants and creating a more pleasant atmosphere, incorporating shapes and patterns found in nature into the design of an interior space, such as curved lines or abstract shapes, resembling branches and leaves. Something my husband and I just did. Is we did a stencil in our room where we watched television and we spent a lot of time and so one of the walls, we made a stencil out of branches and birds and it's just really calming, really beautiful, and I really enjoy that space since we made that. perhaps I'll include a picture in the show notes of the podcast and you guys can see what I'm talking about and maybe you'll come up with some ideas of how you can change up some of your rooms. So also integrating daylight systems, which reduce the need for artificial light. While helping occupants feel connected to the outdoors. So as I said earlier, using natural materials such as wood or stone to create a more organic and inviting atmosphere. Placing windows in skylights in strategic locations so that occupants can get glimpses of the outdoors and increase in ventilation to bring in fresh. utilizing water features such as fountains or aquariums to provide positive auditory feedback and calming visuals, strategically positioning artwork that depicts natural scenes or landscape photography so occupants can feel a more direct connection with nature. Incorporating materials that mimic. Such as timber, stone or cork floors, utilizing natural scent such as lavender or eucalyptus, which can be calming and evoke positive emotions, making sure the space is well lit with natural light to help occupants feel energized and productive, creating comfortable spaces for informal gatherings and relax. Such as lounges or breakout area, utilizing natural elements in the design of furniture pieces such as curved edges or organic shapes, incorporating technology that can provide biophilic elements such as soundscapes, visuals from nature, and even projections of natural elements into the interior. incorporating plants and greenery to create a connection with nature and improve air quality. Utilizing indoor water features such as fountains or ponds, which can be calming and help reduce stress levels, incorporating textures from nature such as woodstone or brick into the design of wall treatments or. utilizing acoustic treatments that help reduce noise levels while still allowing some sound from the outdoors to come in. This could mean incorporating materials such as cork wool or felt into wall treatments to reduce noise levels. So now we are going to talk about how can we incorporate biophilic design to the outside of our home. number one, incorporating natural elements such as plants into the design of the outdoor space. This could mean adding large trees or shrubs for shade and privacy, or some potted plants for color and texture, utilizing natural light sources to make a space more inviting and comfortable. This can be done by installing Sky. Or large windows that allow natural light to stream in, as well as strategically placed lamps and candles, introducing water features such as fountains, ponds, or streams to the outdoor space. These can be used to add a calming effect, create a visual focal point, and can also attract birds and other wildlife to the area incorporating tactile element. Such as stone pathways, wood benches, and natural fabrics. These elements can be used to create an inviting atmosphere and bring the outdoor space to life, creating outdoor living areas that allow people to get closer to nature. This could include seating areas with comfortable cushions surrounded by plants, or a large living wall made of Ivy flowers and other. Foliage incorporating natural elements such as rocks and boulders into the landscape design. This can add a unique visual element while also providing habitat for plants and wildlife, utilizing plants to create privacy screens or borders that help divide up the outdoor space into different areas. This can be accomplished with a variety of trees, shrubs, and. That can provide different heights, colors, and textures to the landscape. Installing outdoor lighting that is designed to compliment the natural features of the landscape. This type of lighting can be used to highlight certain plans or other elements in the design, while also providing a sense of security and safety during nighttime. Incorporating Stonewalls into the landscape design can help create visual interests while also providing an element of privacy and protection from outside elements. Incorporating vertical gardens into the design can help to not only provide natural beauty, but also a way to bring nature closer to home. Vertical gardens are also a great way of creating an oa. That takes up minimal space. Installing birdhouses, bird baths, bird feeders, and other features that attract birds and other wildlife to the area can help to create a more natural and inviting environment. Installing outdoor seating areas that have been designed with biophilic elements in mind can help to create an inviting space for people to sit and. While enjoying the outdoors. So now we are going to just summarize what we learned today. basically nature can help us in many different aspects of our lives. It can help improve our mental health, it can help us function better in our environment. It can help reduce our stress level. it can help increase our physical activity by just being exposed to natural light. Even if you're inside your house, you will have more energy to do the things that you wanna do. using nature to exercise for example, going for a walk, and maybe you can include a. Or meet people you know while you're out. So you're maintaining that connection that you have to the community, which is very important throughout our lives, but especially in our golden years. so thank you for being with me today and spending time with me. I invite you to listen to my next podcast, which is going to be on. natural light is important for seniors. please join me again next week and if you would like to ask me a question or if you have a suggestion for a future topic, please email me at info@homedesignsforlife.com and yes, I did change my email and please make sure to check out my new website. I have improved it in order to make it function better for users, and I enlisted the help of a very good friend, which she was on my podcast about two months ago. Her name is Esther Kain, and she is such a whi. At all of this tech stuff. So I'm really thankful to her for helping me out and helping me create a great website. That works really well. All right, everyone. Thank you for being with me today. Bye.