There are now 78 million baby boomers born in the United States following World War II from 1946 to 1964 who are now becoming seniors. One thing is certain: We are all going to grow older and when we age, natural changes occur in our bodies, which can make gardening more of a challenge instead of a joy.
Have you noticed changes in your body you would consider your “new normal”? With knee and hip replacements becoming commonplace, we once again can garden with gusto, as long as we know how to garden smarter. Here area couple of things to be aware of:
- If you sense of balance becomes impaired and if you’re noticing slower reaction times, that’s probably not the time you should get on a ladder with a power tool. (You should not be on a ladder anyway!)
- Reduced clarity of vision and depth perception can make garden tools hard to use and hard to find.
- Muscle strength may decrease, causing carrying a 50-pound bag of fertilizer difficult, if not impossible.
By paying attention to our bodies and incorporating Adaptive Gardening tips and techniques, we can continue to garden for as long as we wish, without pain and in joy.