Celebrate Earth Day with Autumn Cove Assisted Living!
April 22 is Earth Day, and it’s the perfect opportunity to talk about the beneficial relationship our bodies have with nature, especially for seniors. The global celebration of Earth Day goes back to 1970, and it centers on using our voices to raise environmental awareness while creating a cleaner, healthier world.
Spending time caring for our planet is important, but so is spending time outside enjoying Planet Earth! There are a number of health benefits associated with spending time outdoors, both actively and passively. Today, let’s explore some of the ways seniors can enjoy the great outdoors to celebrate this Earth Day!
Walking Group
Take a walk with friends this Earth Day! Regular walks can help to improve brain and heart health and are an excellent way to engage with nature. Whether walking around the community, at a local park or botanical garden, there are birds, trees, plants, and more that you can appreciate as you walk along. Some of the health benefits of walking regularly include:
Lower risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
Strengthening bones, possibly preventing osteoporosis or osteoarthritis
Helps reduce blood pressure for folks dealing with hypertension
Improves coordination and balance, helping to reduce fall risk
Strengthens muscles and improves joint flexibility
Improves energy levels, increasing stamina and motivation
Increases mood and confidence levels
Decreases some symptoms of anxiety and depression
Soothes feelings of loneliness, improving social life by walking with friends, or meeting new friends while walking.
Earth Day Tip: take drawing supplies or a camera with you! Perhaps you and your friends can do a special Earth Day nature walk. Sketch or photograph the plants, bugs, and trees you see along the way, to identify and compare notes! Just make sure you keep a safe distance from any critters! If you have a paper and pencil, you can even do tree-bark rubbings to preserve the intricate pattern of the bark and observe later with other friends.
Outdoor Art Class
There are a number of health benefits to creating art. Combining that with the benefit of absorbing Vitamin D outside on a sunny day makes outdoor art a great activity for Earth Day! Crafts like painting, knitting, embroidery, crochet, drawing, or coloring are excellent choices. Gather your supplies and your friends and spend time together creating in your outdoor space. Some of the health benefits of artistic endeavors include:
Decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression
Reduction of stress
Increase in positive emotions
Improved immune system function
Earth Day Tip: theme your artwork around natural features, such as painting a flower nearby, sketching a bird, or stitching flora and fauna designs into your embroidery work.
Bring Book Club Outside
Reading holds many health benefits for the brain, including memory recall and improved sleep. Bringing book club outside for Earth Day ensures that you get to soak up the sun and listen to the birds sing, all while engaging in this brain healthy activity!
Earth Day Tip: select a book on theme with exploring something in nature.
Community Garden
Gardening is a direct way to dig into Earth Day celebrations! Gather your loved ones and plant a community garden. Not only will you get to engage with the plant life cycle firsthand, you’ll also benefit from the health advantages of this earth-centered activity:
Improved immune system
Increased blood oxygen levels
Stress reduction
Reduce muscle tension
Increase Vitamin D levels
Improved mental health
Social connection
Earth Day Tip: If you’re able to, host a planting day on Earth Day, and then keep the garden going all year-long with seasonal replants and maintenance.
Spending time in nature is undeniably beneficial to our mental and physical health. Identify an accessible path for engaging in nature this Earth Day and try to develop an outdoor habit that continues all year long!