How Plants in Assisted Living Facilities Improve Quality of Life

At Growing Roots, we spread plant love by providing nature-inspired interior design to clients of all ages, including those residing in independent, retirement, or long-term care facilities. Plants in assisted living facilities significantly enhances residents’ quality of life. Proper placement and routine maintenance of indoor plants can result in improvements in overall well-being for individuals in these environments.

One thing we’ve learned over the years? Incorporating natural influences into these built environments can have a profound impact on the health and well-being of their occupants. Whether experienced indoors or out, nature is a phenomenon everyone was meant to engage with and enjoy. Influenced by biophilia, or our innate love for life, individuals young and old possess a deeply rooted affinity for the natural world and all its elements.

Read on to learn more about the benefits of biophilic design and how providing plants in assisted living facilities can holistically improve the lives of elderly individuals dwelling there.

What is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is all about bringing the outdoors back in by drawing on our deeply rooted connections to nature.

But what does this mean? For our interior plant pros, it’s all about envisioning ways to provide and facilitate access to the natural world, all within the comforts of a designated space. This can include direct elements like plants, lighting, or water displays and indirect elements like furniture, decor, wallpaper, or other materials that evoke a sense of nature.

There are many pillars of Biophilic design and patterns to consider when developing a biophilic design, but the most important principle is this: when we evoke the natural world in our lived environments, we give ourselves the opportunity to thrive in our most natural state. By bringing the above elements together with cohesive designs, we transform your chosen settings into sanctuaries teeming with positive benefits.

The Benefits of Biophilic Design in Senior Living Spaces

The true beauty of biophilic design lies in its many benefits, which seniors can discover and delight in on a daily basis.

In fact, research conducted over the past several decades have revealed just how much plants in assisted living facilities can improve quality of life for their residents:

Longer Life Spans — In this PMC study, elderly individuals residing in a densely populated urban environment were found to live longer when they regularly convened with nature available in accessible green spaces.
Improved Mood — In this ResearchGate review, seniors with dementia who engaged in horticultural, lighting, and natural sound interventions saw a reduction in stress and a boost in overall mood and well-being.
Balanced Physiology — In this PubMed study, elderly subjects who immersed in a natural environment saw a significant reduction in blood pressure compared to those who remained in a strictly urban environment. Similarly, this PubMed study found an improvement in overall immune responses when having seniors engage in horticultural therapies.
Better Cognitive Processing — In this PubMed study, older individuals dwelling in facilities with accessible green spaces displayed faster thinking, better attention spans, and overall enhanced cognitive function.

As our minds and bodies age with us, maintaining our health and well-being becomes a top priority. Trusting the positive influences of nature-inspired interior design is a near effortless way to impact the physiological and psychological prosperity of seniors living in independent, retirement, or long-term care communities. Working with Growing Roots plant designers ensures these benefits are holistically delivered and experienced by elderly residents and their caregivers alike.

Interior Landscaping with Plants in Assisted Living Facilities

Now that we have an idea of the many benefits biophilic design can offer to seniors, you may be wondering: what does this actually look like?

Although we personally make recommendations based on a client’s preferences and their space as a whole, there are several biophilic design elements that can inspire an assisted living community to thrive, including:

Abundant Plant Life — A wide variety of indoor foliage is recommended to maintain a thriving plantscape. From container plants in common areas to living wall systems in lobbies and residential hallways, there are a number of ways we can help you create a vibrant built environment. Consider plants with a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes to capture the eye and promote an immersive natural experience, such as: bromeliads, pothos, ZZs, and aglaonemas.
Natural Shapes and Forms — Nature-adjacent elements are a soothing way to revitalize an indoor environment. These elements can show up in the form of wallpaper featuring lush botanicals, artwork displaying mesmerizing fractal patterns, or even furniture shaped with soft curves and edges for a more intuitively comforting feel. The possibilities all depend on your ultimate design goals and the needs of your senior occupants.
Immersive Soundscapes — The flow of water, birdsong, rainfall, and other natural sounds expand the potential of a biophilic design by enhancing its visual elements with auditory stimuli. This is also a calming way to promote sensory variability without overburdening the faculties of aging residents.
Natural Light — Unrestricted light is essential for elderly residents, especially in terms of regulating their sleep cycles and balancing their moods. Ensuring environments have ample lighting in residential and community spaces can significantly improve a senior’s lived experience.

Remember: it’s not just about enhancing your facility with natural elements. It’s also about understanding how seniors naturally interact within available spaces. This is so important especially when it comes to accessibility, as no one resident will have the same needs as their peers. The right biophilic designs, and routine maintenance of plants in assisted living facilities, will be inclusive and inspire their innate biophilia every step of the way.

Spreading Plant Love Wherever We Go

Growing Roots is proud to work with nursing homes and senior living facilities such as Alamitos Belmont Rehabilitation Hospital by providing rotating plant displays and routine plant maintenance for their many lovely guests. We love walking into their facility and witnessing the welcome smiles of patients as we energize their surroundings with an array of tropical plants. Supporting these individuals on their recovery journeys by giving them a calming oasis to heal in is a true exemplification of our mission to spread plant love.

If you’re an independent, assisted living, or long-term care facility interested in the natural influences of biophilic design, we’d love to work with you and add plants to your space. Contact our office today to see how we can enhance your care and community with our customizable container gardens and commercial plant care.