title: The effect of garden designs on mood and heart output in older adults residing in an assisted living facility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to trace short-term changes in mood and heart function in elderly individuals in response to exposure to different landscaped spaces.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nineteen elderly but cognitively intact residents of an assisted living facility participated in the study. They were exposed to three landscaped spaces: a Japanese style garden, an herb garden, and a simple landscaped area planted with a single tree.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess the effect of different landscaped spaces on older adults, individuals were monitored for mood and cardiac function in response to short exposures to spaces. Mood state was assessed using Profile of Mood States (POMS) before and after viewing the spaces. Cardiac output was assessed using a portable electrocardiograph monitor before and during the viewing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the structured gardens evoked greater responses in all outcome measures. Scores on the POMS improved after observation of the two organized gardens compared to responses to the simple landscaped space with a single tree. During the observation period, heart rate was significantly lower in the Japanese garden than in the other environments, and sympathetic function was significantly lower as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that exposure to organized gardens can affect both the mood and cardiac physiology of elderly individuals. Our data further suggest that these effects can differ depending on the types of landscape to which an individual is exposed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Elderly, Japanese garden, herb garden, heart rate, mood, healing environmentPreferred Citation: Goto, S., Park, B-J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Herrup, K., & Miyazaki, Y. (2013). The effect of garden designs on mood and heart output in older adults residing in an assisted living facility. Health Environments Research & Design Journal 6(2), pp 27-42.
authors.affiliation: Corresponding Author: Seiko Goto, PhD, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Department of Landscape Architecture, 93 Lipman Drive, Blake Hall, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8524; gotos@sebs.rutgers.edu; 1+ (848) 932-9394.
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Bum-Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsunetsugu
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herrup
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D004777:Environment; D051639:Gardening; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans