On fertile ground: An initial evaluation of green care farms in the United States

Psychophysiological Responses of Cut Flower Fragrances as an Olfactory Stimulation by Measurement of Electroencephalogram in Adults

Horticultural therapy (HT) is green care that can help improve and recover the health of modern people living in cities through natural experiences. Many studies have been conducted to determine HT's therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms, but investigation for developing readily applicable clinical techniques is insufficient. We aimed to investigate adults' brain activity and emotional state during flower arrangement (FA) with different flowers in an HT program. We recruited thirty adults and used a randomized cross-over study method to set them to participate in five FA tasks at 90-s intervals. While performing FA tasks, the participants' prefrontal cortex brain waves were measured by a wireless electroencephalography device and their emotional states between FA tasks were measured by questionnaires. Results showed that each FA task resulted in a different attention level of the participants. The participants showed the highest attention level during FA with stocks and carnations, while FA with lilies showed the lowest attention level among the five FA tasks. Instead, the participants showed the highest arousal, tension, and anxiety for emotional states during FA with lilies. Therefore, this study confirmed the differences in attention level and emotional changes according to flower types for using clinical techniques of HT for various clients.

Animal Assisted Interventions in the Green Care Framework: A Literature Review

Green Care (GC) and Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) are recognised practices useful to enhance the wellbeing of people through interaction with nature and animals. This study aims at understanding the interconnections between GC and AAI by analysing deeply which interaction with animals is conducted. Therefore, we carried out a literature search through Web of Science and Google Scholar that allowed retrieval of 993 records; after the PRISMA selection process, 42 were included. Relevant information was extracted: year of publication, geographical location, objectives, settings in agricultural environment, animal species, characteristics of users involved, type of human–animal interaction, coexistence of other activities without animals, animal health and welfare issues. From the review emerged that research on GC with animals is common in high-income countries and that the line between AAI and occupational therapy is often vague. Moreover, the most common setting for these interventions appears to be the farm, and frequently animals involved are not selected according to their ethological characteristics. Users in this context are extremely various and not only involved in activities with animals. Within the included studies, we noted a lack in the consideration of animal welfare that indicates the need for increased awareness among practitioners and a more ethical approach when animals are involved.

Green spaces, dementia and a meaningful life in the community: A mixed studies review

Engagement in green spaces impacts positively on wellbeing and quality of life. However, little is known about the impacts of green space engagement specifically for people living with the experience of dementia in the community; people with a heightened need to maintain a quality life. In this mixed study review, we explore existing evidence for quality of life impacts of contact with green spaces by people living with dementia in the community. Findings show that gardens and horticultural programs, green care farms, parks, urban woodlands and neighbourhood outdoor environments can impact positively in several ways. Four key mechanisms are identified: Engaging in meaningful activities; Empowerment; Positive risk taking; and Reinforcing Identity. These findings provide conceptual links between psychosocial understandings of the relationships between nature and wellbeing with rights-based dementia discourses. We conclude that evidence specific for people living with dementia in the community setting is growing and there is potential for green spaces to enable an active and meaningful community-life, despite cognitive decline. This is worthy of consideration by policy makers, practitioners and carers. Future studies can broaden this field of research and include investigations into lesser-explored aspects of quality of life, such as spirituality, and methods that incorporate the voices of people living with dementia.

Care Farming for People with Dementia; What Can Healthcare Leaders Learn from This Innovative Care Concept?

There is growing recognition that traditional dementia care models fall short for people with dementia and their family caregivers. This has led to a call for new dementia care approaches. In response to this call, innovations in long-term dementia care are taking place both in the community and in residential care. One of these innovations is the care concept called “care farming.” Care farms are farms that combine agricultural activities with care and support services for a variety of client groups, including people with dementia. Although the concept is being implemented in an increasing number of countries, the Netherlands and Norway are still front-runners in providing and researching this innovative dementia care approach. Over the last couple of years, several research projects have been carried out in these countries addressing a wide range of issues related to dementia care provision at care farms and using a wide range of research methods. This paper synthesizes the knowledge that has been generated in these research projects. By sharing the knowledge obtained in the Netherlands and Norway, we hope to inspire leaders in healthcare undertaking similar efforts to innovate care for the increasing number of people with dementia. By providing starting-points for future research, we additionally hope to contribute to a research agenda to further advance the field.

The impact of care farms on quality of life, depression and anxiety among different population groups: A systematic review

Care farming (also called social farming) is the therapeutic use of agricultural and farming practices. Service users and communities supported through care farming include people with learning disabilities, mental and physical health problems, substance misuse, adult offenders, disaffected youth, socially isolated older people and the long term unemployed. Care farming is growing in popularity, especially around Europe. This review aimed to understand the impact of care farming on quality of life, depression and anxiety, on a range of service user groups. It also aimed to explore and explain the way in which care farming might work for different groups. By reviewing interview studies we found that people valued, among other things, being in contact with each other, and feeling a sense of achievement, fulfilment and belonging. Some groups seemed to appreciate different things indicating that different groups may benefit in different ways but, it is unclear if this is due to a difference in the types of activities or the way in which people take different things from the same activity. We found no evidence that care farms improved people's quality of life and some evidence that they might improve depression and anxiety. Larger studies involving single service user groups and fully validated outcome measures are needed to prove more conclusive evidence about the benefits of care farming.

‘I want to make myself useful’: the value of nature-based adult day services in urban areas for people with dementia and their family carers

Nature-based adult day services (ADSs) in urban areas are relatively new services in the Netherlands. Since knowledge about these services is still scarce, this study aimed to elucidate their value for people with dementia and their family carers in terms of health and wellbeing. We interviewed 39 people with dementia attending nature-based ADSs in urban areas and their family carers, and 17 providers of these services. Respondents indicated that nature-based ADSs in urban areas positively affected the health and wellbeing of people with dementia. According to them, these services support contact with nature and animals, activity engagement, physical activity, structure, social interactions, healthy eating, a sense of meaning in life and a focus on normal daily life. Respondents further indicated that these services stimulate respite, reassurance and maintenance of family carers’ own activities and social contacts. We conclude that nature-based ADSs in urban areas have a wide range of benefits that might affect the health and wellbeing of people with dementia and their family carers. Worldwide, demand is growing for innovative practices in dementia care. It is therefore worthwhile monitoring the development of dementia care innovations, such as nature-based ADSs, and for countries to exchange lessons learned from these services.

Farm-based day care in Norway - a complementary service for people with dementia

Background

Day care services provide meaningful activities and coping experiences in a safe environment for people with dementia, as well as improve quality of life. Such services vary in types and settings. Farm-based day care (FDC) services are described as services that have been adapted from the farm setting, using farm resources to promote health. There is limited knowledge on the service offered in both FDC and regular day care services for people with dementia. The present study aims to investigate FDC in Norway and describe the services and the participants’ care environment.

Materials and methods

We mapped the existing farms offering day care in Norway by the spring 2017 (N=33) and collected information through two cross-sectional surveys (N=32) answered by the service providers at the farms.

Results

The farms included in this survey provided day care services to 227 people with dementia, located in most regions of Norway. The services varied in terms of group size and half of the services had young people with dementia (≤65 years) and people with dementia at an early stage as their primary target group. About half of the staff had health care education (47.5%), and there were staff with agricultural competence available in most FDCs. All farms reported that the participants spent time outdoors every day, and all services, except two, had animals. The providers highlighted the opportunity to choose activities that were individually tailored for each participant, as the diversity of resources in the farm made it possible to organize different activities.

Conclusion

FDC services have similarities in organization, daily structure, and number of health education personnel to other day care services, but differ in type of care environment with a wide range of activities and available resources like farm buildings, gardens, animals, and outdoor areas.

'It's not therapy, it's gardening': community gardens as sites of comprehensive primary healthcare

Using a participatory research framework, researchers at the Centre for Rural Health, University of Tasmania, explored the potential of Community Gardens to function as comprehensive primary healthcare (CPHC) environments. Community gardeners, coordinators, volunteers and Neighbourhood House coordinators discussed their understandings of the health benefits of community gardens, how they contribute to broad CPHC aims and the barriers and enablers to greater CPHC contributions in the future. This research identifies therapeutic features of Community Gardens and explores the correlations between these and CPHC. It is concluded that there are strong synergies between the aims and activities of Community Gardens and CPHC. To augment the therapeutic capacity of these sites requires adequate resourcing and skill development, suitable design, funding and policy support, along with innovative partnerships with health professionals.