Gardening Advice for Aging Bodies and Minds John F. Martin for General Motors Container gardens or raised beds can make gardening easier on the body. Above, the Cadillac Urban Gardens in Detroit. This week's Ask an Expert features Patty Cassidy, who will answer questions on how to use outdoor spaces and gardens to improve health and well-being, and what to do when the physical challenges of aging or mental challenges such as dementia and Alzheimer's come into play. Ms. Cassidy is a registered horticultural therapist, a master gardener certified through Oregon State University, and a former counselor with a master's degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore. She currently oversees therapeutic gardening programs for seniors at worksProvidence ElderPlace in Portland, , a nonprofit health care agency in Portland. She has been a member of the board of the American Horticultural Therapy Association since 2010 and is president of Friends of the Portland Memory Garden, which serves those with memory disorders, their families and caregivers. Ms. Cassidy is the author of "The Illustrated Practical Guide to Gardening for Seniors: How to Maintain Your Outside Space with Ease Into Retirement and Beyond" (2011, Anness). She is prepared to answer questions about how to simplify spaces and plant materials so that a yard can be satisfying and productive, but also low-maintenance. For example, beds may need to be raised or vertical gardens introduced as people age. She can also help guide caregivers in making the outdoors safe and accessible for those with dementia and Alzheimer's. Here are a few examples of questions Ms. Cassidy can address: How can I reduce the amount of weeding in my garden beds as I get older? What are some adaptations I can make in my gardening habits to accommodate my arthritis? What plant materials would you recommend for easy maintenance but high visual value? Please leave your questions in the comments section. Answers will be posted on Booming on Wednesday, June 19. Previous Ask an Expert columns can be found here.