Holiday Retirement residents across the country use their green thumbs to stay healthy.

Lake Oswego, OR, May 17, 2015 – Seniors around the country are adding gardening to their list of daily activities thanks to the stress relief and health benefits it provides. And for Holiday Retirement residents, reaping the rewards of gardening is that much easier thanks to the leading senior living provider’s efforts to offer gardening opportunities at its communities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seniors who participate in 2.5 hours a week of moderate-intensity activities such as gardening can reduce their risk for a number of health issues, including obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Gardening can also help with stress relief, improve depression symptoms, and reduce social isolation.

“Our residents’ health is of utmost importance, which is why we are dedicated to helping seniors get moving,” said Jamison Gosselin, vice president of marketing, communications, and resident enrichment at Holiday Retirement. “As the weather turns warmer, gardening provides an easy, accessible way for seniors of all skill levels to enjoy a rewarding, relaxing physical activity.”

As seniors increasingly downsize and move to senior living communities, they can adjust their gardening styles to reap the benefits in a smaller environment. Holiday Retirement has launched a series of resources focused on helping seniors enjoy the rewards – both mental and physical – that gardening has to offer:

* An infographic that offers suggestions to help seniors garden in comfort

* A checklist that provides everything seniors need to know about starting a container garden

From roses to vegetables to herbs, here are five examples of blossoming gardens at Holiday Retirement communities across the country:

1. South Wind Heights residents in Jonesboro, Arkansas, all enjoy chipping in to maintain the senior living community’s curb appeal. Residents take time to plant, water, and weed flowerpots and flowerbeds on a regular basis, with one 97-year-old resident dedicating much of her time each day to gardening.

2. Residents at Mistywood in Roseville, California, are living up to the city’s name. A memorial rose garden was built eight years ago for residents to honor loved ones who have passed away. The community grows myriad roses, as well as perennials, annuals, and even herbs and vegetables in a raised flowerbed built by a local Boy Scout troop. Herbs and vegetables are used in the kitchen while roses are used in floral arrangements around the senior living community.

3. Residents at Ashley Park in Charleston, South Carolina, have embraced container gardening and now anxiously await tomatoes, radishes, bell peppers, squash, onions, and various herbs. Residents use the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor during the Adventure Travel Program, where the senior living community makes tasty meals from different regions around the world.

4. At Whispering Oaks in Hermitage, Pennsylvania, residents discovered a newfound hobby when one Boy Scout troop built raised gardening beds for the senior living community to earn his Eagle Scout ranking. Thanks to his act of kindness, tomatoes, radishes, onions, peppers, and flowers grow regularly and are shared throughout Whispering Oaks.

5. University Pines, an independent senior living community in Pensacola, Florida, welcomed spring with the planting of numerous flowering plants, ferns, and cascading greenery. The backyard of the senior living community has blossomed this year thanks to resident green thumbs, not to mention the flowerpots on the front patio getting a face-lift for summer with new flowers. The community also celebrated Earth Day in April by planting seedlings, baby tree cuttings, and other green plants to bring an earthy feel to the community and to residents.

If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about gardening and seniors, visit holidaytouch.com/senior-gardening-tips.

Media Contact:
Brian K. Fawkes
Holiday Retirement
(971) 245-8837
brian.fawkes@holidaytouch.com
http://www.holidaytouch.com

About Holiday Retirement
Since 1971, Holiday Retirement has endeavored to provide its signature “Holiday Touch” to residents and their families. Today, Holiday is a trusted name in senior living and provides security, comfort, and value to independent seniors seeking a fulfilling lifestyle. Holiday operates more than 300 retirement communities, making it the second largest senior housing operator in the United States. For more information about Holiday Retirement, please call 800-322-0999 or visit www.holidaytouch.com.

Contact:
Molly Koch
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, Colo., 80206
720-726-5435
http://www.csg-pr.com