Houseplants increase quality of life for retirement community...(care of houseplants choices of what plan...)

Over the course of the study, the teachers were impressed by the transformation of the overall demeanor of the students. They changed from a state of passive, lonely dependence to being more active, socially connected, and responsible for something other than themselves, demonstrating improvement in quality of life and mastery.

Several key categories emerged over the course of the study that illustrated areas of improvement in the resident's quality of life. First, caring for their houseplants provided companionship for the residents, some of whom reported singing and talking to their plants. Second, caring for the plants encouraged active and energetic participation. The researchers reported that "the overall energy was positive and electric as everyone involved could not wait to see how their plants would fare", adding that study participants "got dirty hands, dirt on their clothes, and felt competent."

Other positive impacts noted were a general feeling of success and accomplishment. Residents also showed excitement in planning for the future, and looked forward to being involved in developing an outdoor community garden.

Results of this study suggest that a horticulture intervention such as personal plant responsibility may be beneficial over a period of time. The researchers suggested that similar short-term horticultural activities could be used to help integrate new residents into assisted living, making it feel like their new home, as opposed to being "in a home". Future research will assess longer-term impacts as students from this class transition into the core group for ongoing development of an outdoor healing garden at the site.

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