Nurturing Well-Being: How Gardening Can Benefit Disabled Individuals and How to Create Inclusive Spaces

Gardening can have numerous benefits for individuals with disabilities, and a May 8 webinar hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and OneOp will explore these advantages in detail. The virtual professional development platform for providers serving military families will delve into how being in a garden or gardening can improve mental, physical, and social well-being for those with disabilities.

Interested participants can register for the free webinar at . Upon registration, they will receive an email with instructions on how to attend the webinar. The webinar will also be available for viewing on YouTube Live for those who are unable to access the link. Technical support can be requested by contacting OneOp at contact@oneop.org.

According to AgriLife Extension program specialist Rachel Brauner from Bryan-College Station, the webinar will focus on how gardens can serve as therapeutic environments, offering benefits for physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being for individuals with disabilities. Participants will learn about the stress-reducing effects of gardening and gain insights into creating accessible, sensory-rich gardens tailored to different abilities.

The featured speaker for the webinar will be Xuan “Jade” Wu, Ph.D., an AgriLife Extension specialist and assistant professor in the AgriLife Extension Family and Community Health unit. Topics to be covered include explaining the benefits of gardening for individuals with disabilities, strategies for selecting sensory elements, plants, and design features for specific disabilities, and key principles and design elements for creating accessible and welcoming gardens for individuals with varying abilities. The webinar will also address the importance of creating safe and inviting gardens for individuals with disabilities.

Overall, this webinar aims to educate participants on the positive impacts of gardening on individuals with disabilities while providing practical insights into creating inclusive garden spaces that promote their mental, physical, and social well-being.