Activity Analysis Report: May Alcroft's Gardening in Old Age

This report provides an in-depth analysis of May Alcroft's gardening activity, focusing on its impact on her health and well-being. The report examines the activity through the lens of two key psychological theories: Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the disengagement theory, elucidating how these theories underpin May's ability to engage in gardening at her age. It also explores the functioning of the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems in relation to her gardening. The report further breaks down the stages of the activity and assesses the motor process and communication skills required. Overall, the report offers a comprehensive understanding of the benefits and challenges associated with gardening for older adults, considering both psychological and physiological aspects.

Title Page
Assignment details- Activity analysis
Word count

1. Specify which life stage scenario you are choosing to work with.
May Alcroft: 84 years old

2. Specify which activity you will be analysing for your assignment.
3. Considering the chosen activity AS A WHOLE:- (35% of
marks)
A.
 Choose two psychological theories
 Describe how each of these theories underpin your chosen case study’s
ability to carry out the specified activity at their stage of life
(approx. 1350 words)
Two psychological theories that find a detailed insight to the May under conduction of the
gardening activity are
(i) Maslow hierarchy of needs
(ii) Disengagement theory
Maslow hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology that comprises
of five-tier model for the human needs and it is often depicted in the form of hierarchical
levels within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs include
physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness and love needs, esteem needs and
self-fulfilment needs. The main underpinning of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs with the
activity of gardening for May coincides with psychological needs (belongingness and love
needs and esteem needs) (Lester 2013). According to the case study, May has always
been an outgoing person who loves to remain surrounded by friends. However, recently
she is saddened as majority of her friends have died and her friend circle is decreasing
gradually. According to Ring et al. (2013) the older adults suffers from loneliness or social
isolation due to loss of companionship. Since May mainly like to spend time with her
friends, the severity of social isolation will be high. Under this condition, the activity of
gardening with the village people will help her to develop intimate relationships once
again and thereby helping her to make new friends. Ring et al. (2013) stated that making
new friends helps in increasing the social participation and thereby creating the provision
for the partnership or increasing the sense of belongingness. Lester (2013) sense of
belongingness and need for love is an important psychological need of a persons’ life.
Having a positive mental health and well-being helps to improve the physiological health.
The case study also highlights that the May gets well with majority of the people in the
Gardening

village where she resides and she also likes her neighbours and finds them very
supportive. Thus friendly village mates will be an excellent combination of a gardening
partner helping to promote social participation and emotional well-being for May. Huxhold,
Miche and Schüz (2013) stated that informal social activities helps in the promotion of
well-being among the older adults irrespective of whether they are performed with family
members or with friends. However, among the older adults who are above 65 years of
age, the affects of playful activities or playful activities or activities of choice helps to
buffer against the negative effects of against the negative effects of aging (Huxhold,
Miche and Schüz 2013). The village mates of May are helpful. Her local gardening club
surprised her by constructing her raised flowerbeds, tidied up the bushy shrubs
surrounding the fences and also helps in the formation of raised pavement so that she
might access the gardening area easily. Thus helpful gardening companion will also
promote up-holding of the physiological needs of May like physical comfort during
gardening. Bromell and Cagney (2014) stated that the socially cohesive neighbourhood
environments are profitable for the adults who live alone under both the physiological and
the psychological domains. Making raised gardening beds and significant importance
under occupational perspective of gardening as it will help May from watering the flowers
without bending, helping to overcome the pain of stiff joints. As per the case study, May is
passionate towards gardening thus choosing gardening as the main activity help to satisfy
the Maslow’s psychological needs for self-esteem like prestige and feeling of
accomplishments. Vansteenkiste and Ryan (2013) argued that human have a potential for
integration, growth, well-being and at the same time is also vulnerable towards
aggression, defensiveness and ill-being. The Maslow’s theory of hierarchical needs
highlights that the facilitator for the intrinsic motivation, social development and emotional
wellbeing is backed by the psychological needs for competence, autonomy and
relatedness. Helping May to practice her passion in life will help to foster the immediate
emotional well-being and promoting the inner strength of self-esteem, resilience,
mindfulness and self-regulation. The case study highlights that May not only enjoys
growing flowers also loves wining prizes for her skills. This is the reason why she enrols
for the competition every year even if she feels exhausted. Lester (2013) stated that the
feeling of accomplishments is strongly associated with the psychological needs of a
person. The sense of accomplishments increases the sense of coherence and thereby
helping to increase the life-satisfaction among the older adults by reducing the sense of
depression (Dezutter et al. 2013).
Disengagement theory outlines the course of disengagement from the social life,
which the people experiences as they gradually ages. He theory highlights that during the
course of time, the elderly people gradually withdraws or starts disengaging from the

social roles and relationships, which were central to their life when they were adults
(Botwinick 2013). As per the functionalist theory, the theory of disengagement is crucial
for the society as it enables the social system to remain stable and ordered. One of the
postulates of the theory of disengagement is the older adults, gradually loose ties from
the social engagement as they expect death (Botwinick 2013). This might be the case for
May as the majority of her friends, with whom she used to love spending time, have
passed away and her social circle is gradually becoming smaller. She is now a retired
person and does not have a strict social involvement activity. Under this context practising
gardening will help to increase her social engagement. Moreover, May is passionate
about gardening and selecting gardening as the main activity of choice will social
participation in May with a positive approach. Merriam and Kee (2014) are of the opinion
that community well-being is a function of numerous factors that works in joint concert in
order to promote an optimal quality of life for the older adults. The activity of gardening for
May can be practiced under the joint collaboration of her village mates for example Joy
(son of one of her village mates) cuts grass in the summer and tides away leaves during
the winter season for earning pocket money. This increases the provision for the
continuous earning (both formal and non-formal learning) helping to increase social
participation (Merriam and Kee 2014). According to Botwinick (2013), as a person starts
to disengage, the older adults start liberating themselves from the social norms. Kuroda et
al. (2015) argued that complete social disengagement among the older adults results in
the generation of the depressive symptoms, hampering the quality of life. Thus, the
activity of gardening will help May to find a new source of social engagement during her
retirement life. She used to be a work as a dinner woman in primary school in the village
and she retired at an age of 60-year and now she is 84 years old. Thus, within 24 years,
she needs to built a new method for social engagement in order maintain her mental
health and quality of life and hence gardening is the most suitable activity as he is
passionate about it. Conducting gardening activity with her fellow village mates or taking
help from village kids in doing gardening will help to increase her social engagement.
Myhre, Mehl and Glisky (2017) are of the opinion that social engagement among the older
adults helps to promote cognitive engagement in comparison to the older adults who
remains socially isolated. Increase in the cognitive engagement helps in the promotion of
the cognitive activity. Martin et al. (2014) stated that the concept of successful ageing is
defined as a process of overcoming the physiological barriers. The gardening activity for
May is transformed into a process of relaxation under the help of the village gardening
team and thereby helping her to overcome the physiological barriers like stiffness in the
muscles. The theory of disengagement for aging stated that older adults must starts
addressing their physiological barriers in order to contribute to the process of healthy

aging (Botwinick 2013). However, Toepoel (2013) argued that escape clause might not be
suitable for the promotion of healthy ageing. Under this context, the practice of the activity
of gardening can help May to accept her physiological barrier with a positive approach
like her difficulty in listening or problems with eye-sight and at the same time take part in
gardening activity. Gardening her will act as a leisure activity helping to generate social
connectedness and increasing her self-confidence and thereby helping to promote
healthy aging (Toepoel 2013).
3B. Considering the chosen activity AS A WHOLE:- (15% of marks)
 Choose two body systems
 Describe how the systems are working at your chosen case study’s stage of
life
 Explain how this underpins the person’s ability to carry out the activity you
have chosen.
(approx. 600 words)
Cardiovascular system:
Aging is regarded as one of the important factors behind change in the elasticity of the
vascular muscles. However, such alterations are modifiable by abiding by healthy lifestyle
habits. Afilalo et al. (2014) are of the opinion mild to moderate physical activity is
recommended among the older adults who are above 65 years of age. Physical activity
helps to overcome the curse of the sedentary life and thereby helping to improve the
overall functioning of the cardio-vascular system. Heavy physical activity on the other
hand is not recommended for the older adults as it might increase the strain over the
cardio-vascular muscle. Soares-Miranda et al. (2014) stated that with age, left ventricular
muscles gradually thickens, size of heart increases and left ventricular volume decreases
such that the heart is unable to pump oxygen through blood in the different parts of the
body in an optimal manner. Gardening doesn’t demand heavy physical activity and thus
would be helpful for May in retaining normal functioning of the cardiovascular system
while producing less strain over the cardiac muscles.
With age, the efficiency of the heart rate muscles decreases and thereby decreasing the
overall cardiac output (Soares-Miranda et al. 2014). Mild to moderate physical activity like
gardening would be helpful in improving overall heart rate of May and thus helping her to

avoid problems with cardiac complications arising from sedentary life.
Musculoskeletal system :
Among the older adults like May, it is essential to have muscle mass and muscle strength
to perform gardening activity. However, people who are above age 80 years of age tend
to lose muscle mass and strength by 50 – 60 % (approximately). Reduction in the mass of
the muscle mass and strength occur due to reduction in muscle fibres and atrophy of type
II muscle fibre. It results in the loss of the functioning of muscles. Loss in the muscle
function results decrease in the ability of perform physical activity (Mithal et al. 2013).
However, May’s passion towards gardening would give her moral strength to perform the
physical activity while overcoming her muscle weakness activity. Loss in the functioning of
muscle also would result reduction in the level of intensity, duration and frequency of
performing activity (Mithal et al. 2013). However, May is doing all the gardening activity on
the regular basis. This shows that she is overcoming all the hurdles of muscle loss and
functioning while keeping her passion of performing gardening. Loss in the structure and
functioning of the muscles might also result in disturbance in strength, balance and
flexibility of the muscles in older adults. This results in the reduction in the ability of the
older adults to perform mild of moderate physical activity like gardening. Person above 70
or 75 years of age might become tired; undergo fatigue, fells nauseas or experience pain
in joints while performing mild to moderate physical activity (Mithal et al. 2013). The
analysis of the case study of May highlighted that she feels tired and experiences
difficulty in bending down in order to water her plants. Wiseman and Sadlo (2015) stated
that overcoming the occupational stress (raised gardening floor or handing flower pots in
case of May) might encourage the older adults to take part in the physical activity. In case
of May, her fellow members of her own village have given her significant assistance in
overcoming the occupational stress in gardening by making raised flower beds so that
she might not need to bend for watering of the flowers. Moreover, performance of mild to
moderate gardening activity will help May to overcome her pain in joints of muscle
stiffness. Messier et al. (2013) stated that regular practice of the mild to moderate
physical activity followed by proper intake of healthy diet can be prove to be helpful in
overcoming the decaying of bones and pain in joint (osteoporosis) among the older
women after menopause. Moreira et al. (2014) stated that physical exercise help to
stimulate the bone tissues and at the same time helps to promote muscle strength and
muscle contraction. Regular practice of the physical activity helps to increase bone
strength and bone density and thereby helping to reduce the chances of the accidental
fall among the older adults.
4. List and number the stages of the chosen activity (150) (10% of marks)

1. Collect of all the necessary material required for gardening at one place like
seeds, craft sticks, shovels, spray bottle/watering can, spade, fertilizers and
pesticides
2. Spot and label the flowering plot by the name of the respective flowers
3. Mix the fertilizers with the soil in respective ratio
4. Place the soil mixed fertilizer inside the pot
5. Dig small hole soil place inside the flower pot with the help of spade
6. Place seeds inside the hole as per the respective labelling
7. Gently push the little amount of soil on top of seeds and cover them like blanket
with help of shovel
8. Fill water inside the water can from the tap situated at the corner of the garden
9. Ask the village boy Jack to help you to lift the water filled pot can
10. Pour water in the respective flower pot
5. From section 4, choose one stage and put the number
Of your chosen stage in the box provided.
5. A. Place crosses in the table below to indicate which of the motor process and
communication skills are required within this stage. (5% of marks)
Taken from the AMPs (Assessment of Motor and Process skills and the ACIS
(Assessment of Communication and Interaction Skills) as cited in Boyt Schell, et al.
(2015:252) Willard & Spackman’s Occupational Therapy. 12th Ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins.
Motor Skills Process Skills Social Interaction Skills
Stabilises Paces Approaches /Starts
Aligns Attends Concludes/Disengages
9

Positions X Heeds Produces speech X
Reaches X Chooses Gesticulates X
Bends X Using objects according
to purpose Knowing
Speaks fluently X
Grips X how to handle objects X Turns toward
Manipulates Inquires Looks X
Coordinates Initiates X Places self
Moves Continues Touches
Lifts X Sequencing Regulates
Walks X Terminates Questions
Transports Searches / Locates Replies
Callibrates Gathers X Discloses
Flows Organises Expresses emotion X
Endures Restores Disagree
Paces Navigates Thanks
Notices / Responds Transitions
Adjusts Times response
Accomodates Times duration
Benefits Takes turns
Matches language
Clarifes
Acknowledges /
Encourages
Empathises
Heeds
Accommodates
Benefits
5. B. From the skills you have indicated above, choose one motor skill (e.g.
reaching), one process skill and one communication/ interaction skill and explain
how each of them enables the stage to be performed.
(150 Words) (10% of marks)
Motor skill
Bending is an important motor skill at this stage. It deals with bending and placing the
water pot just beneath the water tap and then bending again to lift the water pot to water

the plants. According to Nicklett, Anderson and Yen (2016) bending of joints is regarded
as an important motor skills executed in the process of gardening. Bending is the waist
line occurs while watering of the plant, digging soil and cutting old leaves of the flower.
Bending of elbow also occurs while watering of the plants
Process skill
“Gather” is an important process skill at this stage of activity. Here gathering deals with
gathering of the water pot and then placing it just beneath the tap in the gardening area.
Communication/ interaction skill
Speaking fluently is an important communication skill at this stage. Speaking fluently
helps to articulate the command in a proper manner and thereby helping to instruct the
gardening assistant accordingly in order execute the strenuous tasks (Wunder 2013)
6. For your chosen stage (as indicated in section 5)
 choose one of the movements which occurs at one of the joints (e.g. flexion
at the hip)
 state which joint and movement you are focusing upon
 describe how the structures in and around the joint enable and control the
movement you have chosen
(750 words) (20% of marks)
The main movements that occur during the gardening process is the bending that
might affect the flexion of the shoulder joint.
The shoulder joint is a complex system and is made up of four different joints and
three bones (collar bone of clavicle, scapula or shoulder blade and humerus or long bone
in the upper arm) (Giovacchini et al. 2014). The glenohumeral joint (GH) is a ball-and-
socket joint and is the connection point between the head of the humerus (ball) with the
glenoid (socket) on the scapula. The acromioclavicular joint (AC) is a gliding type joint.
Here the Acromion on the scapula is associated with the clavicle (collar bone). Another
gliding type joint is the sternoclavicular joint (SC) and is located between the sternum
(breastbone) and the clavicle (collar bone). No significant actions occur in the AC and SC
joints. The fourth joint is known as scapulothorasic joint here the scapula meets the back
end of the rib and it is responsible for 1/3 rd of the shoulder motion (Giovacchini et al.
2014). The muscles, ligaments and the bones undertake the movements in the joints. The
shoulder flexion is a movement that decreases the angle between the two connecting
joints and the maximum fore-range of motion for shoulder flexion is 180 degree (Cook et

al. 2014).
According to the study conducted by Stathokostas et al. (2013), as a person ages,
the mean range of motion flexibility at the shoulder joint decreases from 180 degree to
130 degree. Thus, decrease in the physical flexibility will be reflected in the incompatibility
in conducting the physical activity like gardening. May might experience strain or pain
while lifting the water joint upwards for watering the plants. The pain will mainly attribute
from the pain or strain in the ligament. Giovacchini et al. (2014) stated that the ligaments
are sturdy, band-like structures that connects the bones with the other bones and is
important maintaining the stability of the joint and movements. The ligaments work in
unison with the shoulder tendons in order to execute the movements in the joint. The
main ligaments working in the shoulder flexions include acromioclavicular ligaments,
sternoclavicular ligaments and glenohumeral ligaments. Dieppe (2013) stated that among
the older adults who ages 65years or more suffers from dislocation or shoulder or pain in
the shoulder joint under might strain encountered over the shoulder flexion. The reason
behind this is the ligaments of the older adults suffer from lack of elasticity and thus tend
to rupture easily. In case of May, who is 84 years of age, the chances of the labral lesions
are less and frequency of occurrence of the capsular tears are more (Dieppe 2013).
Moreover, May is going through the post menopause age and thus her tendency of loss
of bone or bone loss (osteoporosis) is high and thus creating strain over the movement at
the shoulder flexion. Bhattarai et al. (2014) stated that among the older adults the rotator
cuffs tears among the older adults creating strain in the shoulder movements. Tear in the
rotator cuffs and loss of elasticity of the ligaments in the shoulder areas will lead to the
generation of strain in the shoulder flexion leading to generation of muscle stiffness and
pain (Dieppe 2013).
According to the study conducted by Dieppe (2013), healthy older adults lack optimal
shoulder Flexion range of motion and plantar strength while lifting mild to moderate loads
unlike the healthy younger adults. The older adults have at least 30% of smaller shoulder
flexion angle and in comparison to the younger adults. Thus, it can be said that the older
adults lack adequate shoulder flexion range of motion in comparison to the younger
adults in the ball and socket joint. Thus under the strenuous condition like lifting loads, the
older adults are supposed to experience more strain in the rotator cuffs and thereby
limiting activity.
Thus in order to reduce the chances of injury in the shoulder-flexion of May, apart from
raising the position of the flower pots, the provision must be made for the watering of the
plants with the help of the water pipe. This will help to reduce the chances of
encountering an injury as May is no longer compelled to fill in water can to water the
plants. This can be regarded as an occupational stress or injury management technique

(Wiseman and Sadlo 2015). However, chances of getting injury at the shoulder joint (ball
and socket joint) among the post menopausal women are high even under mild physical
activity of bending or stretching. Bending of the shoulder joint can occur during lifting up
the flower pots and digging of the soil inside the flower pots (Black and Rosen 2016).
Since May wants to perform activity independently, assistance in each and every activity
of gardening might de-motivate her. So in order to keep her motivated she must be
assisted with water pipes or raised floors. This will help to decrease the level of strain
experienced at the shoulder flexionand reducing the chances of shoulder-joint injury
(Wiseman and Sadlo 2015).