The Effect of Horticultural Therapy on Loneliness and Life Satisfaction in Elderly Adults Living in Nursing Home

In recent years, the elderly population is increasing in Turkey and around the world. In our country from 2002 to 2022, the number of elderly people receiving care increased 2.8 times. Elderly individuals frequently complain about loneliness and think that they are abandoned. Loneliness is a multidimensional concept consisting of emotional loneliness and social loneliness, and reported that it reduces life satisfaction in elderly individuals. There are many non pharmacological applications aimed at reducing loneliness and increasing life satisfaction however in recent years, the use of horticultural therapy in the world has attracted attention. In horticultural therapy interventions, gardening activities are carried out using indoor and outdoor plants. The plants which is medicinal and aromatic selected according to culture and cultivation. The plants contribute to the improvement of physical and mental health by stimulating 5 senses that visual, hearing, tasting, touching and smell. Horticultural therapy is important in terms of providing social activity, reducing loneliness and increasing life satisfaction in elderly individuals using the healing power of nature. Horticultural therapy is also used by nurses who are mental health professionals. In Turkey, there is no study to examine effects of horticultural therapy effects on mental health in elderly individuals. It is thought that with this study, it will be important to apply a new method in our country and contribute to nursing science in non-pharmacological applications.