The Importance of Getting Out of the House

With the rise of the internet allowing us to have almost everything we need delivered to our door, the need to actually leave the house may seem to diminish for some. When living with limited mobility, reliance on deliveries can be essential, but it can stop motivation for getting out of the house. While accessing the world outside your home can be trickier for some, it is incredibly important to get out and about in nature as regularly as possible, even if you feel you don’t need to. We take a look at some of the reasons why leaving the house is crucial.

 

Improved Mood

Research has continually shown that spending time outside is incredibly beneficial to our mental health. Sunlight is proven to boost people’s moods, helping to reduce depression and anxiety. While being active adds to the benefits gained by being outdoors, it is not essential, as simply being in the fresh air in a natural area is enough to help improve mood. Visiting a garden or park is a great idea, as the smell of flowers and grass has also been found to help you feel more relaxed.

 

sunshine through trees

Sunlight May Reduce Pain

One research study discovered that surgery patients who were exposed to sunlight felt slightly less pain than those that were in darker areas. As such, they ended up taking less pain medication and felt less stressed. While sunlight certainly won’t be a cure for your aches and pains, it may help to alleviate your symptoms.

 

Vitamin D Reduces Inflammation

Being out in the sun will also boost your levels of vitamin D, which helps to reduce inflammation in the body, and can help prevent osteoporosis. While you can get vitamin D from food, 90% comes from our exposure to the sun, so getting out in daylight is a must.

 

Being Outside Can Give Your Immune System a Boost

It is believed by scientists that the airborne chemicals released by plants, known as phytoncides help to increase our levels of white blood cells. White blood cells help our bodies to fight infection and disease.

 

yellow flowers

Allows You to be More Social

It is incredibly important to get out of the house to socialise. While it may seem scary to some, it is incredibly important to socialise with others. Staying inside can be very isolating, and feelings of loneliness can quickly develop. Heading out to a café with friends or meeting a new group of people at an accessible club is crucial to keep your mind healthy and happy. Plus, you never know, you could be helping someone else by talking with them!

 

Helps Your Mind

There are a number of ways that going outdoors can help boost your brain function. Not only has being out and about in nature been found to improve short-term memory, but it can also have a restorative effect, helping to renew mental energy. This also means that it may help you experience better concentration and more creative thinking.

 

Here at Essential Mobility you can buy or rent a mobility scooter to suit your needs, when you need it. Our all-terrain mobility scooters are ideal for those who want to use their time outside exploring nature, and will allow easier access on unpaved paths. If you’d like to get out in nature a bit more this year, then check out our guide to the best wheelchair-friendly routes in North Devon.

 

Gardening Tips For Wheelchair Users

Being in a wheelchair shouldn’t stop you from getting outdoors in your garden, enjoying the fresh air and doing something you love. Gardening offers satisfaction and achievement; you have the chance to create your own nature haven, giving you a place to relax and unwind. A little goes a long way in a garden, and the efforts you put in will reward you for months to come. However, being in a wheelchair or having mobility issues can limit what you do in your garden, so we have put together some tips on how you can adapt.

Pathways

Widening the pathways in your garden, ensuring they are evenly surfaced and offer good grip is one of the first steps to take to improve your garden for easy access. Textured concrete or paving slabs are good options, and you can put the slabs into an eye-catching pattern to add more aesthetic appeal.

You also need to ensure the pathways in your garden are all connected, either in a circular pattern in the garden or there is enough space to turn a wheelchair around. A circular or figure-of-eight path allows visitors and yourself easy access to the majority of the garden, and also allows you to view and admire the space from different places.

Level

For wheelchair users, it is a good idea to have as level a garden as you can manage. This means removing steps and have low gradient slopes or ramps, so there is access to the garden in all weathers and wheelchair users can get around the garden without obstacles.

Gardening tools and plants

Grass

Removing or reducing the lawn area makes your garden easier to manage as there will be no need for mowing or trimming the grass which is low to the ground. Covering it with landscaping cloth and covering that with bark or gravel prevents the grass from growing back or weeds appearing.

Garden Beds

Raised garden beds make the perfect alternative to planting straight into the ground. You can choose to have these as a permanent structure in your garden, built out of wood or concrete, or you may select the free-standing option, allowing you to move the planter around the garden to the best position for the plants.

Planters that are higher and off the floor are much easier for wheelchair users to work with, as it removes the need to bend down or reach up. The width of your beds should be considered when you choose them; a planter that is too deep you will find it difficult to reach to the back. Having a narrow planter gives you access to the whole area while you are still seated.

When choosing what plants to put into the flower beds, think about how high they can grow. For example, if you are planning on growing beans, it may be tricky to pick the beans when they have reached full height. Low growing or crawling plants may be more suitable.

Reach

Though using an all-terrain mobility scooter means you can move around the garden better, the controls in front limit your reach. Getting chairs with open sides or adjustable seats are great options. You can also rely on reaching to the side, meaning you won’t have to lean as far and can swap sides to reduce the strain on your back due to twisting in your seat.

Watering can pouring water on flowers

Tools

For the tools you are using in the garden, try opting for lighter ones. The lighter they are, the more comfortable to use. You might also want to look at tools with ergonomic handles which provide better comfort and handles that can extend for the distance you need. Though lightweight tools are beneficial, you should make sure the material they are made from is durable so will last. When it comes to storing your tools, keep them in an accessible place, such as hanging on the wall or placed in a low cupboard.

Gardening gives a purpose to your day, and spending time outdoors in your own space can be beneficial to your health and mental wellbeing. Are you starting to plan what needs to be done in your garden when the weather warms up?