Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
108 results(2 / 5)
A quasi-experimental study to assess the impact of green gardens on elderly anxiety: A socio-ecological perspective
2024Somayeh Gholami, Shahpar Geravandi, Farahnaz Rostami · Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment · Iran
This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of green gardens on the mental well-being of elderly individuals in eldercare facilities in Kermanshah city, western Iran. Eighty participants were purposively sampled and divided into an experimental group (n=40) and a control group (n=40). Using pre-test/post-test measures with the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, the experimental group showed statistically significant reductions in cognitive (p < .01), arousal (p < .01), and somatic (p < .01) anxiety after green garden initiatives, while the control group showed no significant changes.
HealthElderlyCommunityPengembangan Pemasaran Digital Berbasis Media Sosial Instagram Untuk Meningkatkan Daya Jual Hasil Produksi Pada Kelompok Tani Urban Farming “Keputih Bersemi” Kelurahan Keputih, Kecamatan Sukolilo, Kota Surabaya
2024Brilliant Adam Ramadhani, Shalahuddin Fathan, Jessica Putri Margaretta, Putri Wahyu Pebrianti, Ika Sari Tondang, Nuriah Yuliati · Kegiatan Positif Jurnal Hasil Karya Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Surabaya)
The Urban Farming Group "Keputih Bersemi" in Keputih, Surabaya, faces challenges in optimally selling and distributing its produce, such as pak choi and lettuce, due to conventional marketing methods. The majority of group members are elderly and unfamiliar with technology, limiting sales and distribution. The abstract suggests that digital marketing via Instagram and WhatsApp could increase visibility and sales.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsElderlyDigital agricultureCultivating Change: Empowering Communities Among Elderly Through Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Smart Urban Farming
2024Nasreen Khan, Anusuyah Subbarao, Shereen Khan, Aysa Siddika · Journal of Human Earth and Future · Malaysia
This research investigated whether the adoption of smart urban farming (SUF) enhances the social and economic well-being (SEW) of senior citizens, involving 130 elderly participants from Klang Valley, Malaysia. Survey data was analyzed using SPSS. The study revealed that while Social Entrepreneurship alone may not be enough to encourage elderly adoption of SUF, combining it with social innovation significantly increases adoption. It also indicated that SUF adoption enhances the elderly's SEW.
ElderlyCommunityEconomicsWelfareRAÍZES DO BEM: EXPERIÊNCIA EXTENSIONISTA VOLTADA À PROMOÇÃO DE SAÚDE E BEM-ESTAR PARA A POPULAÇÃO IDOSA ATRAVÉS DA HORTICULTURA TERAPÊUTICA
2024Stephanie Bezerra Muniz Falcão, Laysla Tamyres de Oliveira Borges, ANA PATRICIA BASTOS FERREIRA · International Journal of Health Science · Brazil
This extension project in Jaboatão dos Guararapes-PE, Brazil, aimed to promote mental health and physical well-being for elderly residents in a Long-Term Care Institution (ILPI) through horticulture. A community garden was created for therapeutic horticulture activities, including sensory gardening and aromatherapy. The project found that horticulture was effective in reducing depressive symptoms, improving mood, and enhancing the quality of life for participants.
ElderlyHealthCommunityFood educationA Systematic Review of Korean Studies on the Health Effects of Care Farming
2024Minah Baek, Eunseo Jeong, Eunjeong Kang · Academy of Urban Health · South Korea
This systematic review analyzed 19 domestic studies on the health effects of care farming in South Korea, noting an increase in research since 2020 across diverse fields. Horticultural therapy was the most common intervention, with insect, forest, and urban gardening showing positive effects on stress, depression, and cognitive and emotional functions. Recommendations included increased attention from healthcare researchers, standardization of practices, and policy support.
HealthWelfareElderlyCommunityImpact of food based intergeneration community intervention
2024Fotini Tsofliou, R. Vijayakumaran, Ashley Wilson, Anthony Mills · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · United Kingdom (Dorset)
This pilot research, conducted with fourteen adults in disadvantaged areas of Dorset, UK, explored perceptions on the importance and roles of community food garden and kitchen initiatives. Four main themes emerged from the participants' perspectives: tackling food insecurity and sustainability, utilization of climate-friendly and organic food, bridging the intergenerational gap, and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfareElderlyEffectiveness of horticultural therapy in aged people with depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis
2023· Frontiers in Public Health · Global (systematic review)
A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of horticultural therapy for older people with depression.
ElderlyHealthIs Urban Agriculture Sustaining the Urban Poor? A Study of Grandmother Headed Households (GHHs) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
2023Chipo Hungwe · Journal of Women & Aging · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)
A qualitative case study based on interviews with 19 older women heading grandmother-headed households in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Urban agriculture did not reduce food insecurity or social exclusion for these participants. The barriers reported were difficulty obtaining land to cultivate, health problems associated with ageing, and the physically demanding nature of the farming work itself. The author concludes that social assistance, rather than reliance on urban agriculture as a livelihood strategy for elderly-headed households, is what these households need.
ElderlyWelfareEconomicsELDERLY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN INDEPENDENT FOOD BARN
2023Sri Oetami, Bea Anggraini, Dwi Handayani · Abdi Dosen Jurnal Pengabdian Pada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Surabaya)
This community service activity, conducted in the Rungkut Barata residential area of Surabaya, Indonesia, focused on empowering the elderly. The activity disseminated techniques for pot farming, hydroponics, aquaponics, and vertical gardens, with participation from elderly farmer groups. As a result, a vegetable garden was established, and its products were sold to the local elderly group.
ElderlyCommunityFood educationHealthProximity to Green and Blue Spaces and Serious Psychological Distress in Urban-Dwelling Older Adults: Analysis of Washington State BRFSS data (P2-12.006)
2023Adithya Vegaraju, Solmaz Amiri · Neurology · United States (Washington)
This study assessed the associations between proximity to green and blue spaces and Serious Psychological Distress (SPD) among urban-dwelling older adults in Washington State. The 2011–2019 dataset from the Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was utilized to assess SPD among residents aged 65 and over. Approximately 2% of urban-dwelling older adults had SPD. The odds of experiencing SPD were lower among urban-dwelling adults living within half a mile of green or blue spaces compared to those living further than half a mile from such spaces within Washington State.
HealthCommunityElderlyHORTA COMUNITÁRIA COMO ATIVIDADE DE EDUCAÇÃO EM SAÚDE NAS UBS DO MUNICÍPIO DE TERESÓPOLIS
2023Márcia Emília Moreira De Luca, Carlos Alfredo Franco Cardoso, Gabriel Schwambach Del Piero, Vinícius Feitoza Xavier · Revista da Jopic. · Brazil (Teresópolis)
This study implemented community medicinal gardens in two Basic Health Units and a nursing home in Teresópolis, Brazil, to promote health education and raise awareness about the risks of improper medicinal plant use. Five plants with therapeutic benefits were chosen, and seedlings were offered to patients alongside discussion groups. This initiative aimed to provide information on basic health, facilitate access to plants, reduce medication costs, and indirectly increase family income.
CommunityHealthFood educationElderlyEffect of horticultural therapy on apathy in nursing home residents with dementia: a pilot randomized controlled trial
2022Yang Y., Kwan R.Y.C., Zhai H.M., Xiong Y., Zhao T., Fang K.L., Zhang H.Q. · Aging & Mental Health, 26(4):745-753 · China
A pilot randomized controlled trial allocating 32 nursing home residents with dementia to horticultural therapy or control. Post-intervention, between-group differences in apathy (Apathy Evaluation Scale) and cognition (MMSE) were statistically significant, indicating horticultural therapy may improve apathy in older people with dementia. It supports embedding gardening in elderly welfare and dementia-care programmes.
ElderlyWelfareHealthTherapeutic gardening program effects on mental health and well-being of older adults
2022· International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · South Korea
A study conducted in Korea from June to November 2021, delivering a 30-session therapeutic gardening program to 111 participants to examine effects on mental health and well-being of older adults.
ElderlyHealthHorticultural therapy for general health in the older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
2022Wang, Z., Zhang, Y., Lu, S., Tan, L., Guo, W., Lown, M., Hu, X., Liu, J. · PLOS ONE · Global
A meta-analysis synthesizing RCTs and cohort studies on horticultural therapy, a form of social prescribing, for adults over 60. It indicates horticultural therapy can benefit older adults' general physical and mental health.
ElderlyHealthWelfareStudy of residents’ willingness to construct community gardens in the post-epidemic era
2022Hua Zheng, Noriko Akita, Fen Zhang · International Review for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development · China (Wuhan)
This study investigated residents' willingness to construct community gardens in three urbanized residential communities in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Based on 382 valid questionnaires, 82.5% of respondents supported community garden construction, while 17.5% did not. Female, elderly, and households with minors showed higher support, but not all supporters were willing to spend money or time.
CommunityHealthElderlyAnalisis Pendekatan A.C.T.O.R.S dalam Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Lansia di Kampung Wonosari 3G (Glintung Go Green) Kota Malang
2022Angelus Vecky Kopong, Siti Kholifah, Sanggar Kanto · Brawijaya Journal of Social Science · Indonesia (Malang City)
This descriptive qualitative study analyzed empowerment strategies for 10 elderly informants in Kampung Wonosari 3G, Malang City, Indonesia, using the A.C.T.O.R.S theory. The research confirmed that strategies focusing on authority, confidence, competence, responsibility, and support led to increased self-respect, self-confidence, and self-reliance among the elderly community. The study suggests urban farming as a change movement to improve the environment in this slum area.
ElderlyCommunityWelfareHealthA szociális farmok helyzete és elméleti keretei
2022István Bazsik · Studia Mundi - Economica · Hungary
A study examined the situation and theoretical frameworks of social farms in Hungary. The social farm system in the country is in its infancy, with fewer than 50 farms, many of which are not necessarily farms. Initiatives often focus exclusively on specific target groups and prioritize social functions over agricultural production, which limits successful inclusion and integration.
WelfareHealthCommunityFood educationElderlyUniversidad de la tercera edad: saberes tradicionales sobre agricultura urbana en Cuenca
2022David Calderón, Fredi Portilla · · South America
This abstract discusses the isolation faced by older adults in modern society and the lack of recognition for their traditional knowledge, particularly concerning urban agriculture. It notes that the contributions of older adults are overlooked in a technology-driven contemporary society.
ElderlyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceAction Research in a Tokyo Suburb
2022Mariia Ermilova, Mitsunari Terada, Isami Kinoshita · · Japan (Tokyo)
From March 2016 to 2021, a five-year action research project was conducted in Matsudo, a Tokyo suburb, Japan, by two PhD students from Chiba University in collaboration with a local neighborhood association. Through cultivating culturally significant plants like herbs, vegetables, and flowers, and utilizing them for crafts and cosmetics, local women, the elderly, and children developed new skills, gained financial support, and social confidence. These activities expanded from edible landscape cultivation in planters to the creation of eight gardens, providing alternative forms of community participation.
CommunityElderlyFood educationPeri-urban agricultureEnvironment
2022· University of Westminster Press eBooks · Taiwan
This chapter explores society's interaction with the environment through four pieces. A case study from LanCheng, Taiwan, by Shaw-wu Jung, examines how a community garden re-engaged local elderly populations with traditional farming methods. Other pieces analyze food anxiety in Chinese poetry, the historical context of waste separation in China, and the concept of "smart villages" in Maoist science fiction.
CommunityElderlyFood educationEnriched gardens improve cognition and independence of nursing home residents with dementia: a pilot controlled trial
2021Bourdon E., Belmin J. · Alzheimer's Research & Therapy, 13:116 · France
A multi-centre pilot controlled trial across four French nursing homes testing 'enriched gardens'—conventional sensory gardens augmented with activity-prompting features. Among 120 residents with dementia, use of enriched gardens improved cognitive function and mobility compared with conventional gardens or no garden. It offers concrete guidance for using gardens in the environmental design of elderly care.
ElderlyWelfareHealthHorticultural Therapy Reduces Biomarkers of Immunosenescence and Inflammaging in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
2021Wong G.C.L., Ng T.K.S., Lee J.L., Lim P.Y., Larbi A. · The Journals of Gerontology: Series A · Singapore
A feasibility pilot RCT with 59 community-dwelling older adults in Singapore found that a horticultural therapy program was associated with reduced biomarkers of T-cell exhaustion and inflammaging.
ElderlyHealthNature Experiences of Older People for Active Ageing: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Co-Design of Community Gardens
2021Marco Boffi, Linda Pola, Natalia Fumagalli, Elisabetta Fermani, Giulio Senes, Paolo Inghilleri · Frontiers in Psychology · Global
This study presents an interdisciplinary co-design method for community gardens, applying attention restoration theory (ART) to understand older people's experiences in natural environments. Six focus group meetings with older people in Milan, Italy, informed the co-design of a restorative area in an Ortica district community garden. Results classified participants' main needs into ART factors: "compatibility" (multifunctional garden), "fascination" (contact with nature), and "being away" (escape from nursing homes), with the designed garden incorporating biophilic principles to address these needs.
ElderlyCommunityHealthLansia dan Pertanian Perkotaan
2021Rini Fitri, Suryani Suryani · Jurnal Ilmiah Respati · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This paper discusses urban agriculture as a solution for elderly individuals to engage in physical activity and reduce depression in limited yard spaces in DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. It highlights that urban farming activities, such as cultivating vegetables, secondary crops, and horticulture, are undertaken by housewives and the elderly. The practice of urban agriculture encourages seniors to express their capabilities, supporting their identity and autonomy, and aims to outline these activities for the elderly.
ElderlyHealthWelfarePROMOVENDO SAÚDE E BEM-ESTAR SOCIAL A PARTIR DE UMA ALIMENTAÇÃO SAUDÁVEL
2021Leonardo Negreiros Monteiro, Joelson de Araújo Delfino · · Brazil
The project “Promoting health and social well-being through healthy eating” was implemented at the Lar para Idosos Tia Angelina elderly home in Porto Nacional, Brazil. Its objective was to improve the quality of life for residents through healthy eating, achieved by implementing a vegetable garden. This initiative also provided Agronomy Engineering students from UNITINS with the opportunity to develop competencies in understanding the importance of quality food and contributed to forming healthier eating habits for the elderly residents.
HealthWelfareElderlyFood educationCommunity