Effects of horticultural therapy on elderly' health: protocol of a randomized controlled trial

Hui Yu Chan, Roger Chun-Man Ho, Rathi Mahendran, Kheng Siang Ng, Wilson Wai-San Tam, Iris Rawtaer, Chay Hoon Tan, Anis Larbi, Lei Feng, Angelia Sia, Maxel Kian-Wee Ng, Goh Lee Gan, Ee Heok Kua, Hui Yu Chan, Roger Chun-Man Ho, Rathi Mahendran, Kheng Siang Ng, Wilson Wai-San Tam, Iris Rawtaer, Chay Hoon Tan, Anis Larbi, Lei Feng, Angelia Sia, Maxel Kian-Wee Ng, Goh Lee Gan, Ee Heok Kua

Abstract

Background: Due to a rapidly ageing population in the world, it is increasingly pertinent to promote successful ageing strategies which are cost-effective, easily accessible, and more likely to be acceptable to the elderly. Past research associates exposure to natural environments and horticultural therapy (HT) with positive psychological, social and physical health benefits. This Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) is designed to evaluate the efficacy of HT in promoting Asian elderly' mental health, cognitive functioning and physical health.

Methods/design: 70 elderly participants aged 60 to 85 years old will be randomized to participate in either the active horticultural therapy group or be in the waitlist control. Sessions will be weekly for 12 weeks, and monthly for 3 months. Mental health will be assessed through self-reports of depressive and anxiety symptomatology, life satisfaction, social connectedness and psychological well-being, collaborated with immunological markers. Outcome measures of cognitive functioning and physical health include neuropsychological tests of cognitive function and basic health screening. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 3 months and 6 months post-intervention.

Discussion: This RCT comprehensively investigates the efficacy of a non-invasive intervention, HT, in enhancing mental health, cognitive functioning and physical health. The results have tremendous potential for supporting future successful ageing programs and applicability to larger populations.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02495194 . Trial registration date: July 13, 2015. Retrospectively registered.

Keywords: Cognitive functioning; Elderly; Gardening; Horticultural therapy; Mental health; Physical health; Randomized controlled trial.

Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ information

HYC: Research Assistant and Masters Candidate.

RCH: Associate Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist.

RM: Associate Professor and Senior Consultant Psychiatrist.

KSN: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate.

WWT: Assistant Professor.

IR: Associate Consultant Psychiatrist.

CHT: Associate Professor.

LA: Principal Investigator Technologist.

LF: Research Assistant Professor.

AS: Assistant Director.

MKN: Senior Manager.

GLG: Professorial Fellow.

EHK: Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Professor.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study obtained ethics approval from the National University of Singapore Institutional Review Board (NUS IRB-Reference Code: B-15-016). Informed consent will be obtained from all potential participants before trial commencement.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of study protocol

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