JS Festival in Tochigi 1st National Elderly Welfare Facility Conference

Horticulture therapy and anxiety reduction in aged care

Gardening can offer older people a calm, purposeful activity that connects daily care with nature, movement and social contact. For residents living with dementia, loneliness or adjustment difficulties, tending plants may create familiar routines and small opportunities for choice. Research on Benefits of Horticulture Therapy for Anxiety Reduction examines how these experiences might influence emotional wellbeing in residential and community settings.

The subject also reflects the practical focus of the 1st National Elderly Welfare Facility Conference and Research Meeting, known as JS Festival in Tochigi. The past event brought together Japanese aged-care practitioners, facility leaders, researchers and suppliers through presentations, workshops, networking, study tours and an exhibition of products and services. Its emphasis on sharing evidence and workable ideas is relevant to Australian providers looking for person-centred ways to support older adults.

Why horticulture therapy merits study

Horticulture therapy, sometimes called therapeutic gardening or garden-based intervention, uses planting, watering, propagation, sensory exploration and time in a garden to support health goals. It differs from simply placing pot plants in a lounge room because activities are planned around a person’s abilities, interests and clinical needs.

Anxiety in later life may appear as restlessness, repeated questions, withdrawal, disturbed sleep or resistance to care. A garden activity can introduce a predictable sequence: selecting a plant, preparing soil, watering it and observing change over time. This structure may help reduce unoccupied periods and give residents a safe subject for conversation.

The approach can also encourage gentle physical activity and social participation. A person who does not join a formal exercise class may be willing to carry a small watering can or inspect herbs before lunch. These modest actions can support confidence without turning leisure into a demanding performance.

How gardening may ease anxious feelings

Several mechanisms may explain the potential benefit. Natural settings can reduce sensory overload, while sunlight, fresh air and familiar scents may help shift attention away from worry. Repetitive tasks such as raking, pruning or arranging seedlings can provide a soothing rhythm and a clear beginning and end.

Gardening also supports agency. Older people in care often experience decisions being made on their behalf, whereas choosing a flower colour or deciding where to place a pot restores a small measure of control. For someone with memory impairment, a tactile and sensory activity may remain accessible even when conversation becomes difficult.

The social setting matters as much as the plants. A shared courtyard can support reminiscence about home gardens, cooking and seasonal traditions. Staff can use open-ended prompts rather than correcting residents, allowing the activity to become a relaxed relationship-building opportunity.

What research can measure

A sound study should measure anxiety with a validated tool suited to the participants. Researchers might record scores before and after a programme, while also tracking sleep, agitation, participation and the use of as-needed medication. Staff observations can add detail, though they should be recorded consistently to limit personal bias.

A comparison group strengthens the findings. Residents could receive usual care, an indoor non-gardening activity or a different form of outdoor recreation, while the intervention group joins scheduled horticultural sessions. Researchers should report attendance, session length, weather interruptions and the level of assistance required, since these factors affect the real-world results.

Qualitative interviews can explain why an intervention works for some people and not others. A resident may value harvesting mint more than planting flowers, while another may prefer watching birds from a shaded seat. Combining numerical outcomes with residents’ voices, family feedback and staff reflections creates a fuller picture than anxiety scores alone.

Designing a meaningful trial

A useful programme might run for six to twelve weeks, with one or two sessions each week. Activities should be graded so that a resident can participate while seated, standing or using a mobility aid. Raised garden beds, lightweight tools, wide paths and accessible taps can make the environment safer and more inclusive.

Researchers must consider allergies, falls, heat exposure, skin sensitivity and infection-control procedures. In Australia, intense summer sun and sudden heat can make morning sessions preferable, while water restrictions may affect plant choices in some regions. Native or drought-tolerant species can support sustainability without removing the pleasure of growing herbs and flowers.

Consent and dignity require careful attention. Some participants may lack capacity to provide informed consent, so researchers must follow approved substitute decision-making processes and explain the project in accessible language. Participation should remain voluntary, with no pressure to continue if a person becomes distressed or tired.

Adapting practice for Australian aged care

Australian facilities operate within the expectations of the Aged Care Act 1997, the Aged Care Quality Standards and related safeguarding responsibilities. A garden programme should therefore connect with individual care plans, risk assessments and feedback processes rather than sit outside normal care governance. Records should show how activities support wellbeing and how hazards are managed.

Local conditions shape implementation. In Brisbane and northern New South Wales, humidity and storms may affect outdoor sessions, while Melbourne facilities may need flexible indoor alternatives during cold or wet weather. In Perth, Adelaide and regional areas, water-efficient gardening and shade are practical priorities. Native plants, community garden partnerships and kitchen herb beds can make programmes more relevant to local residents.

Everyday Australian habits can strengthen engagement. Growing parsley, tomatoes or lemon-scented herbs may lead naturally into conversations about cooking, family recipes and weekend gardening. Providers can also work with volunteers, occupational therapists and local nurseries, while checking that activities remain accessible to residents with culturally diverse food and garden traditions.

Lessons from JS Festival in Tochigi

The JS Festival model is valuable because it placed research alongside practice. Presentations could explore outcomes, workshops could demonstrate methods and the exhibition could connect providers with equipment, adaptive tools and care technologies. That combination helps facilities move from an interesting idea to a programme that staff can deliver safely.

Study tours are especially useful for understanding how design and service coordination operate in practice. A visit focused on medication and residential care integration, such as these study tour findings, illustrates the value of examining whole systems rather than isolated activities. Horticulture therapy likewise depends on staffing, care planning, spaces, transport and clinical oversight.

For Australian readers, the conference’s cross-sector format offers a transferable lesson. A researcher may identify a promising reduction in anxiety, a facility manager may solve scheduling problems, and a supplier may improve access to tools. Bringing those perspectives together can make garden-based care more credible and easier to sustain.

Practical recommendations for providers and researchers

A facility considering collaboration, professional exchange or archived event information can direct practical enquiries to the event secretariat. The central lesson is simple: gardening should be treated as a purposeful, evaluated care activity, with enough flexibility to respect individual preferences and enough structure to demonstrate its value.