**4. Discussions**

**Figure 8.** Flower bed dimensions.

**Figure 7.** Development of design concepts.

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tubes. To meet the requirements of various older users, the use of height of an ordinary elderly in the sitting and standing postures as well as that of the elderly in wheelchairs were considered. A 1:1 model was produced by measuring available wheelchairs on the market to obtain the most appropriate dimensions (**Figure 8**): 104 cm (l) × 45 cm (w) × 81 cm (h). Furthermore, the height under the table was set to 62 cm, to be compatible with the knee height of most the

In a satisfactory drainage system, flower bed design should be considered. The drainage system was first placed at the center of the table; however, experimental results indicated that the drainage effect was poor. Subsequently, a pipeless drainage system was designed, in which table beams were used as water channels to guide water to be discharged through table legs. With a pipeless design, water pipes or water pot damage caused by prolonged use could be prevented, and the space under the table could be effectively minimized to allow the elderly to enter and exit more easily. The soil pot that was readily available was Model-600 sealed pot, which could be used once it was pierced along the directions of the water channels, and furthermore, it could be replaced conveniently. Previous observations have suggested that approximately 15 items should be used in each gardening course session, including hoes, shovels, potted plants, and the elderly's personal belongings. Considering users' need for storage, operating platforms and drawers were added to both sides of the newly designed flower bed. The operating platforms were designed to be inclined surfaces with water drainage holes to facilitate water discharge. In

elderly in a sitting posture, and to allow wheelchairs to enter and exit easily.

This discussion takes the new design of the flower desk into the curriculum. The test group has a total of five participants, including four women, one man, where three of them are in wheelchairs. They sit equidistant from the teacher in a circle. The five new flower desks are arranged radially, with an opening for the instructor to freely walk in and out of it.

In the test group during the horticulture class, the elderly used the dominant hand 26.30% of the time, nondominant hand 17.58% and both hands 12.32% of the time (**Figure 9**). The test group has a much higher usage of hands in all three categories compared to the control group, especially in the nondominant hand category. The test group uses bare hands 56.21% of the class, which is much higher than the control group of 25.28%. Previous observations revealed that inappropriate flower bed dimensions can lead to a forward-leaning sitting posture. When the table top was too low, or when the elderly could not approach the flower bed with ease from their chair, they could not make effective use of the work table. However, the newly designed flower bed "Elder Green" may effectively prevent bad posture in its users. As a result, this new flower bed design stimulates both hand usage and balance in the elderly. From flipping soil to digging a hole to placing a seed to burying soil, all elders fulfilled the hand movement goals. It could be the design of "Elder Green" that allow elders to feel more intimate toward the product.

The total time that the test group spent using their dominant hands was 26.32% for tool use and 26.30% for bare hand operations. In contrast, time spent in the control group was 34.60%

use the nondominant hand and both hands, thereby encouraging balanced exercise in both

New Flower Bed Design and Verification Supporting Horticultural Therapy Classes Based…

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78311

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The percentage of time in the test group where the elderly spent staring into space or resting is 18.22%. It is significantly lower than that of the control group at 35.96% (**Figure 11**). The elders in the test group spent a lot more time on planting activities and less time being idle. We also observed that the elderly immersed in their tasks that were under only one instructor's supervision. This means that "Elder Green" causes participants to be more interested in the whole class.

The control group of class two has a total of 13 participants, accompanied by nine volunteers and one teacher (**Figure 12**). Based on the new and unique design function of the flower bed with professional garden therapist advisory, the user base of "Elder Green" is set at five,

The percentage of time where an elder gets verbal instruction in class is 7.19%, physical instruction is 6.46%, and the average time where instructor demonstrates for an elder is 57.4 s, 1.97% of class time (**Figure 13**). Compared to class two, volunteer demonstrations have decreased.

**4.1. A comparison between pre- and post-design behavior, factoring in the number** 

**4.2. A comparison of caregiving to elders between the pre- and post-design**

**Figure 12.** The relationship between the number of instructors and elders.

**Figure 13.** The percentage of time when an elder receives care.

hands and enhancing the positive effects of horticultural therapy.

**of elders**

accompanied by one instructor.

**Figure 9.** Average percentage of time working with bare hands.

**Figure 10.** Average percentage of time working with tool-assisted and bare hands.

**Figure 11.** Interaction of the elders in class in percentage.

for tool use and 17.89% for bare hand operations (**Figure 10**). The results indicated that the elderly in the test group were involved in tool-assisted and bare hand operations more evenly. In addition, compared with the control group, the elderly in the test group had considerably higher percentages of dominant hand use and both hand use in terms of total time. Therefore, the newly designed flower bed was proved effective at enhancing the elderly's willingness to use the nondominant hand and both hands, thereby encouraging balanced exercise in both hands and enhancing the positive effects of horticultural therapy.

The percentage of time in the test group where the elderly spent staring into space or resting is 18.22%. It is significantly lower than that of the control group at 35.96% (**Figure 11**). The elders in the test group spent a lot more time on planting activities and less time being idle. We also observed that the elderly immersed in their tasks that were under only one instructor's supervision. This means that "Elder Green" causes participants to be more interested in the whole class.
