Effect of Horticultural Therapy Program Based on Reminiscence on the Psychological and Physiological Improvement of the Aged

This study was aimed at comparing the effects of horticultural therapy based on the reminiscence technique with that of conventional horticultural therapy in order to improve the self-integration in the aged. A total of 27 subjects were selected among the aged through the S Elders Welfare Center in Jung-Gu, Seoul. The subjects were then divided into two groups: HTP (Horticultural Therapy Program Group) and HTPR (Horticultural Therapy Program based on Reminiscence Group), with 14 and 13 subjects, respectively. The subjects went through the horticultural therapy program 18 times, twice a week, from September to November 2004. The program for both HTP and HTPR was divided into two phases (each 9 times). For the HTPR, however, the program was divided so that reminiscence on the whole lifetime (from childhood to senescence and future plans) gradually deepened through the two phases. Psychological changes, such as self-integration, life satisfaction, depression, and self-esteem were measured three times before the commencement of the program and after each phase. On the other hand, physical changes were examined by measuring the blood pressure and heart rate of each subject before and after each program. After comparing the psychological changes by phase between the HTP and the HTPR, both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the aspect of life satisfaction after phase 1, compared to how the subjects were before the horticultural program. Moreover, the HTP showed significant improvement in appreciating the past, and the HTPR in self-integration and self-esteem. In both HTP and HTPR, psychological changes in phase 1 kept showing positive improvement, resulting in the effects continuously sustained during phase 2. While the self-esteem in the HTP illustrated significant changes through phase 1 and 2, the degree of present life satisfaction toward the present in the HTPR improved after phase 2 as compared to that before horticultural program. In the comparison of the effects of both treatments after program, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and self-integration were more significantly improved in HTPR than those of in HTP, in which self-integration in HTPR was highly significantly improved. In addition, the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in both groups significantly increased whereas their pulse rates went down, indicating of happiness and palpitation. Consequently, while both the HTP and the HTPR illustrated improvement in self-satisfaction and self-esteem, the HTPR in which the reminiscence technique based on the characteristics of the aged was applied demonstrated statistically more significant improvement in self-integration than HTP.