Gardening As You Age - Suggestions?

Hello everyone,
I wanted to post here to get feedback from my fellow gardening community about gardening as you age. I've found that my mobility has decreased over the years, and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips or products they recommend for reducing strain on my body while still trying to enjoy my favorite hobby, gardening.

Thank you, an I hope everyone's getting excited and prepared for the warmer months ahead!
- Kathy Gallanis

My great aunt has been an avid gardener her whole life but started to have issues with arthritis.

One of the more costly/labor heavy projects that can be useful in the future is to build raised beds. It was built up to about waist high I would say? It provided a better ergonomic position in order to work on the soil.

A less costly but still useful items has been a garden cart/seat. Gardening might take a little longer to get through everything, but to be able to work from a comfortable seating position or just to take a break has been useful.



I hope this might give you some inspiration.

Timothy has a great idea.  Maybe add/augment that with raised beds and containers.

Eric

I wanted to offer a cheaper/lighter option to the small rolling cart. We had one, and it was okay, but moving it about was difficult. It's also large, and I found it awkward when sitting to pick small fruits.
What I love is a shower seat. They are light, with built-in handles, so easy to move. Most are solid and very stable when sitting on them, as well as comfortable. Generally, they can be adjusted for height. Since they are built for use in showers, they hold up to the outside as well!
You can get them with or without a back piece or arms. I find the seat-only version the best for me since it's the smallest, lightest and I can sit on it "properly" or straddle it, depending on the space I'm working in. That said, the option of the arms can make getting up hugely easier for the aging body.
As an added bonus, they are pretty common in the second hand markets, so can be bought for cheap! ( I think we have 4 or 5, at this point)

Generally, I can recommend picking up some various "accessible" support devices, if you can find them cheap, and trying them to see what works for you. Best to know in advance what helps and it can be easier to keep doing things longer if you can remove or reduce the extra hard bits that might stop you from doing them as often.

Canes, step stools with the handles, hand tools with the wide ergonomic handles, walking poles, GRABBERS!!! ( grabbers make reaching those things, like branches, that are jjjjuuuuuusssttt out of reach so easy that you will want one on your belt tool holster. ( and in every room))

I'm all for raised beds to help access.  

Dear hubby uses a camping stool because it folds up and is easy to carry around the garden:



https://militarydepotusa.com/heavy-duty-folding-camping-stool/

We actually have two of them.  One he keep in the car for going to the farmers market.

I like a spade and a long-handled claw.  I use a pencil for planting onions.

All our garden beds are raised.

In my laundry room, we have a seed starting station set up in front of a south-facing window.  We have the grow lights and heating pads to help jump start the process.