Clinical trial NCT06844084: Biopsychosocial Effects of Gardening Activities
Official title: Biopsychosocial Effects of Gardening Activities on Elderly People in Nursing Homes
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Cognition
Anxiety
Depression
Life Satisfaction
Psychological Well Being
Keywords: Elderly
Gardening Activity
Psychological Well Being
Anxiety
Depression
Life Satisfaction
Lead sponsor: T.C. ORDU ÜNİVERSİTESİ
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2025-02-25
Enrollment: 42
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 65
Standard ages: OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This study was planned as a single-blind randomized controlled experimental study. Randomized controlled experimental studies are the research design that is the source of evidence-based information on the applicability of a particular intervention, determines causality and is the basic source for systematic reviews and meta-analyses that are evaluated as first-level evidence. In this project, a randomized controlled study design was chosen to examine the biopsychosocial effects of gardening activities applied to elderly people in nursing homes and to obtain high-level evidence results. Blinding is performed to prevent bias in randomized controlled studies (Akın and Koçoğlu, 2017). In this project, participants and analyzers can be blinded to prevent bias, therefore, the study was planned to be conducted in a single-blind randomized controlled experimental design.
Primary purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Brief summary: Due to the increasing number of elderly population worldwide, elderly care is becoming increasingly important and the number of elderly in institutional care is increasing. In this context, the implementation of easily applicable, cost-effective and accessible physical activity programmes for the elderly in nursing homes is important for the physical, mental and social health of the elderly. Gardening activities are a non-pharmacological intervention that has recently increased in popularity in the elderly and can be easily applied. It is known that gardening activities in the elderly affect some biochemical parameters along with mental health effects and reduce stress, especially by reducing cortisol levels. By providing physical mobility in the elderly with gardening activities, there may be an increase in irisin level and BDNF level, which is an indicator of improvement in cognitive functions, and a decrease in cortisol level, which is an indicator of stress. With the project, the effects of gardening activities on the elderly will be examined comprehensively in a biopsychosocial manner. In this project, the effects of gardening activities on anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, psychological well-being and biochemical parameters will be examined in the elderly living in a nursing home. In the project, gardening activities will be applied to the elderly in the experimental group once a week for 60 minutes for 16 weeks (4 months). With the project, it is aimed to strengthen the elderly biopsychosocially by making them do gardening activities.

Detailed description: Improvement of living conditions, development of health services and technology lead to prolonged life expectancy and accordingly, the number of elderly population is gradually increasing. For this reason, elderly care is becoming increasingly important and the number of elderly in institutional care is increasing. The elderly in nursing homes may experience many physical, mental and social problems. The elderly in nursing homes may experience problems such as decreased self-esteem, increased dependency in daily living activities, chronic diseases, fear of death, lack of social support, cognitive deficiencies, anxiety due to environmental and lifestyle changes, depression and lack of life satisfaction. In this context, the implementation of easily applicable, cost-effective and accessible physical activity programmes for the elderly in nursing homes is important for the physical, mental and social health of the elderly. Gardening activities are a non-pharmacological intervention that has recently increased in popularity in the elderly and can be easily applied. Gardening activities positively affect the sense of commitment and success, self-expression, social interaction, sense of responsibility, self-esteem, cognitive skills and creativity in the elderly. It is known that gardening activities in the elderly affect some biochemical parameters along with mental health effects and reduce stress, especially by reducing cortisol levels. By providing physical mobility in the elderly with gardening activities, there may be an increase in irisin level and BDNF level, which is an indicator of improvement in cognitive functions, and a decrease in cortisol level, which is an indicator of stress. In the literature, it is seen that studies examining the effects of gardening activities on the health of the elderly have been carried out, but the studies on this subject in our country are very limited. With the project, for the first time in our country, the effects of gardening activities on the elderly will be examined comprehensively in a biopsychosocial manner. In this project, the effects of gardening activities on anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, psychological well-being and biochemical parameters will be examined in the elderly living in a nursing home. In the project, gardening activities will be applied to the elderly in the experimental group once a week for 60 minutes for 16 weeks (4 months). With the project, it is aimed to strengthen the elderly biopsychosocially by making them do gardening activities.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Elderly people who have been living in a nursing home for at least 6 months,
* Elderly people with a mini mental test score of 24 and above,
* Elderly people who do not have vision or hearing loss that may prevent gardening activities,
* Elderly people who are open to communication and cooperation and who volunteer to participate in the study will be included in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Elderly people with physical (such as stroke, Parkinson's) and psychiatric diseases (such as mental retardation) that may prevent gardening activities,
* Elderly people with chronic diseases in the exacerbation process (heart failure, chronic renal failure, etc.) will be excluded from the study.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Geriatric Anxiety Inverntory
timeFrame: At the beginning of the study and end of 16 weeks treatment
measure: Geriatric Depression Scale
timeFrame: At the beginning of the study and end of 16 weeks treatment
measure: Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale
timeFrame: At the beginning of the study and end of 16 weeks treatment
measure: Psychological Well-Being Scale for Older People
timeFrame: At the beginning of the study and end of 16 weeks treatment
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
References: