Seongdong-gu launches mobile garden therapy program for elderly residents

Seoul's Seongdong-gu announced Wednesday that it is launching a mobile garden therapy program for elderly residents, using plants and garden-based activities to support their emotional well-being and healthy daily routines.

The program runs from Friday through Oct. 30, visiting six senior welfare centers across the district. It targets 115 residents aged 60 and older, with eight sessions at each center for a total of 48 sessions.

Themed "A Warm Greeting from Nature," the program centers on garden therapy activities using plants to stimulate participants' sensory, emotional and cognitive functions and bring vitality to their daily lives. It is also designed to help seniors reflect on their own lives and connect naturally with fellow participants through hands-on interaction with plants and nature.

Through the program, Seongdong-gu aims to support the emotional stability and quality of life of elderly residents while strengthening garden-based welfare services to expand opportunities for seniors to engage with nature in their everyday lives.

Meanwhile, the district is running a companion plant distribution project through November to help ease depression and stress among elderly residents and boost their emotional well-being and vitality.

"We will consistently expand garden-based welfare services so that elderly residents can enjoy nature close to home and care for both their physical and mental health," district mayor Yoo Bo-hwa said.