Do flowers help lift spirits??

 

More than 100 seniors participated in Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey's research study, in which some of the seniors received flowers and others did not. The results shed new light on how nature's support systems help seniors cope with the challenges of aging. The results are as follows: 1. Flowers decrease depression. Study participants showed a significant increase in happiness and positive moods when flowers were present. 2. Flowers refresh recent memory. Seniors preformed higher on everyday memory tasks and experienced enriched personal memories in the presence of flowers. 3. Flowers encourage companionship. Seniors who received flowers re-engaged with members of their communities and enlarged their social contacts to include more neighbours, religious support and even medical personnel. "Happier people live longer, healthier lives and are more open to change." said Dr. Haviland-Jones. "Our research shows that a small dose of nature, like flowers, can do a world of wonder for our well-being as we age."