聯合國世界衛生組織定義,年齡65歲以上的人稱為「高齡者」。當高齡者人口超過總人口比率7%時即為「高齡化社會」。台灣隨著醫療設備更新、營養保健進步,導致國民平均壽命延長、人口逐漸老化,老年族群也逐漸不斷地上升。早在1993年,65歲的人就達到7.10%,已進入高齡化社會。身體機能退化導因於年齡增加及行動力降低,因此,老年生活可能成為孤獨、隔離及無活力的牢籠。園藝治療計畫有各種方法來解決老人的這些問題。本研究使用量化與質化研究,選用屏東縣潮州鎮孝愛仁愛之家20位年齡滿65歲且輕度失能之老人,並分為對照組與實驗組兩組進行研究實證。對照組從事院內活動,實驗組參與園藝治療 操作,經過8週,對照組與實驗組之差異及10位實驗組受測者參與園 藝治療之前後差異。研究發現透過簡易的植物種植與照顧,可改善老人的認知、社交及生理。且參與園藝治療操作,可使其具有漸進式的進步,若中途停止課程會對其造成影響。其次,由於興趣不同,園藝治療對受測者產生之效果也不盡相同,但大部分都具有顯著效果,特別是期望度、積極參與度的提升,心理方面是自信心的增強與注意力的集中,行為方面是關心植栽生長情形及增加生活樂趣與寄託,而社交方面則是改善人際關係及培養與他人的協調性,對於老人的日常生活、社交功能都有正向幫助。
A man (or woman) who is above sixty-five of age is called an “elderly”, according to definition of the World Health Organization. As the population rate of the elderly going up to more than 7% of the whole country, then this country will be called an “aging society” country. Because the medical equipment renewed and health care improved, the population rate of the elderly is rising constantly in Taiwan. The rate here had reached to 7.1% of the total population since 1993. The life of the elderly will become lonely and debility because of the degeneracy of physical function. It has been reported that the horticultural therapy can somehow relief the problem. This study used both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and chose 20 elderly whom are above sixty-five of age with miner disability from Hsiaoai Jenai Charity Home in Chaochou Pingtung. They are divided into two groups, namely, the experimental and the control groups. The control group participated in the ordinary activities in the charity home, and the experimental group participated in a designed horticultural therapy. The experiments were designed in order to investigate the difference between the two groups, and the difference between pre-treatment test and post-treatment test of the experimental group. The results in this study found that there was a significant difference between the experimental and the control groups on cognitive, social and physical status with or without horticultural therapy i.e. taking care of the plants. The elderly who participated in horticultural therapy had some improvement on their health gradually. It ceased the influence when therapy course stopped at midway. The results of the individuals in experimental group were different due to their different degree of interests in gardening, but the great majority of them had significant improved results. The improvement includes: the advances on expectiveness and participation in the course actively, the accession of confidence and achievability, the improving of horticultural skills and becoming more patient, and the advanced relationship with others. Therefore, horticultural therapy had improved the daily lives and social function for the elderly