It is no secret that gardening is a well-loved hobby amongst the mature generation. It keeps their body moving, gives them opportunities to meet new friends and many more. Though it is not overly strenuous on the body, gardening can become more difficult to do as age catches up. It becomes difficult to bend over and kneeling for long periods can become an issue. It is important to have safety precautions in place to ensure that the hobby remains one that your loved one can enjoy for a long time. Here are a few gardening safety tips you and your loved ones should follow.
Have a Cellphone On Hand
Ensure that your loved ones carry their cellphones with them on their gardening escapades. Being alone in the garden may not seem like much of a deal, but it can be one of the most dangerous situations to be in. Do not assume that your loved ones are able to care for themselves in the garden alone as accidents in the garden may be deadly especially if there is no one nearby to help them. Whether your loved ones require assistance with the equipment or they experience a fall, a cellphone will help them to seek help immediately when needed.
Be Protected from the Sun
Your loved ones are more susceptible to the damage the sun can do. This includes sunburn, heatstroke, dehydration, and many more. With that in mind, your loved ones should prepare themselves with items to protect them from the sun especially during the hotter months. It is best if your loved ones garden in the morning when it is not too hot. They should also dress in lightweight clothes that are light-colored and long-sleeved to protect them from excessive sunburn and dehydration, wear enough sunscreen, drink a lot of water during their sessions and take breaks in the shade every once in a while.
Raise the Flower Bed
It can become harder for your loved ones to get up or down from the ground due to their mobility limitations. Instead of forcing their body to do so, it is recommended to raise the ground to suit their needs instead. The flower beds can be raised to any height, but the width of the beds should be within an arm’s reach to reduce the chances of them losing balance and slipping. These flower beds can be bought commercially or built by you and your loved ones as a fresh activity idea.
Add Plenty of Lighting
Your loved one’s vision and health will slowly deteriorate with age and this will make it more difficult for them to see what they are doing during their gardening sessions. Having sufficient lighting outdoors can help them to move safely around the garden without causing any injury. Walkways should not be horizontally-lit but instead, down-lit to shed light on potential falling hazards. Motion-activated lights also help if your loved ones plan to garden until the later hours.
