New Perspectives on Preventive Medicine - Green Caregivers

Chen, Yi Xua（China Productivity Center Agriculture Management Department）

Reflections on the Wave of an Aging Society

What kind of aged life do you expect to live? Aging is an inevitable process for everyone. The quality of aged life now receives ever more attention in Taiwan, which entered the aged society in 2018 and, in just 8 years, is expected to enter a super-aged society in 2026, at a pace even faster than that of some highly developed countries. None of us in Taiwan can afford to neglect the issues related to elderly life.

The Council of Agriculture (COA) has spared no effort to develop new concepts for the caring of the elderly. In 2019, the idea of “green care” was proposed.

The New Concept Green Care

Green care means the integration of green and natural elements into the realm of health care to bring to people physical and psychological healing and a healthier aged life, through interaction with the nature.

In 2020, the Council of Agriculture put forward the "Program of Green Care Promotion System and Operational Network", which covers four aspects. First, healthy green sites, like vacant classrooms (known as the “health territories”), are organized in conjunction with the local farmers’ and fishermen’s associations for the elderly to share joint leisure activities and dining. Secondly, experiential activities are designed in the health territories where the elders can have more physical exercise and human interaction. Thirdly, menus designed for the elderly are healthy and delicious, with ingredient particularly chosen from the local products. The elders interact and care for each other during the time of dining together. Lastly, regular health consultations and home visits are organized for the elders by local agricultural institutions (such as home economics classes of farmers’ and fishermen’ associations). These four aspects incorporate the concepts of mutual assistance, interaction, and sharing, so elders lead their aged lives in better health and with more variety, not just spending their time alone at home.

Programs like these require the joint effort and input of many people, and particularly professionals. How are they gathered? What are the physical and mental benefits brought to the elders by nature and the green elements? Here is a brief introduction.

Health Benefits of Natural Elements

Four activities are believed to be beneficial to health through contact with natural elements. They include “health territories", "green promotions", "social gardening activities", "interacting with creatures".

1. Health territories

Have you ever had such an experience? One day, when you walk on the road, your attention was unconsciously attracted by the roadside scenery. It may be the rice fields, flowerbeds, forests or a clear waterscape. You stop to enjoy the natural scenery quietly and, in doing so, your mind is totally absorbed by the natural elements. This is a period of emptiness, which makes your mind totally relaxed. After such a rest, you can restore your concentration and face the subsequent work and activities. Appreciation of the natural scenery, therefore, not only gives the pleasure of relaxation, but also inspires clearer thinking and higher efficiency.

2. Green promotions

Many people must have the experience of hiking in the forest and enjoying forest bathing. In addition to the ecological functions, forests bring to people rich sensory experiences (sight, hearing, touch, smell). Gazing at the green shade of the forest, listening to the chirping of insects and birds, inhaling the phytoncide and negative ions volatilized from the trees, and touching the texture of leaves or moss, we are relieved of our worries and anxieties and sense substantial help to our health. Studies show that people working in the forest have, in average, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. When did you last visit a forest to feel its power of healing? It may be time to do it again on your vacations.

3. Social gardening activities

Many people yearn for a life in nature and hope to wake up in a greenery every day, but they cannot live beyond the city, leading most of their life in the city. Owning a small garden of one’s own is a luxury. For elders, in particular, getting close to nature is even more difficult. People can't help but start thinking: maybe it's time to bring nature to the city.

In recent years, green activities have become popular in cities. Green activities with the elements of handmaking and items such as potted plants, seed potted plants, plant moss, etc. began to emerge in the leisure life of urban people. People can use their spare time after work to touch and sense the vitality of plants in the neighborhood, to experience the sense of accomplishment of their handwork, and to appreciate the beauty of the works. Studies show that green activities not only enhance vitality and sense of achievement, but also help maintain a happy mood that relieve stress.

4. Interacting with creatures

In recent years, leisure farms have developed rapidly in Taiwan for people to get close to nature. In the farms, people have close contact with animals, like feeding the alpacas, lambs and petting the little rabbits. People have smiles on their face when interacting with animals. Psychologically, the interactive experience helps to foster more positive emotions and to physiologically relieve stress.

The above four different ways of getting close to nature are helpful both physiologically and psychologically. Therefore, incorporating these natural elements into the care of the elderly is expected to bring a healthier and happier life for the elderly.

Certification Mechanism for Green Caregivers

The benefits of green elements to us are obvious, but actual implementation may not be easy. Besides building a sound environment, professional personnel are needed to help the elders participate in activities.

COA has, therefore, launched a series of "Green Caregiver" training courses. Professional lecturers are invited from Taiwan Horticulture Well-being Association for the courses. Green caregivers with professional knowledge are trained for the promotion of "green care" in the future.

Green Caregiver Training Course Designs

Stage 1. Online professional courses

Online courses of rich content guide the trainees to the field of green care. The course design is based on a scaffolding principle, staring from basic plant caring, healthy agriculture, in-depth design of health territories, and to philosophies of life. It fosters solid knowledge background and conception of green care in the prospective green caregivers.

Stage 2. On-site practice courses

Trainees take hands-on practice guided by the professional lecturers to make succulent plant micro-scenery balls, plant rubbings, and conduct herbal tea evaluation, etc. The practical experience gained through the hands-on operations give trainees the inspiration to design their own green care activities centered on the needs of the target participants, namely the elders. Trainees are also expected to draw inferences from the examples observed in the classes so as to make use of and transform the elements found around them and come up with unique ideas and designs for further DIY plant courses.

Stage 3. Group exercise

Group exercise is a stage of role change. The trainees now take the role of the lecturer to lead the hands-on activities. They now make use of the knowledge and skills developed in the first two stages to lead the DIY activities of other trainees, and, while doing so, they also convey relevant horticultural and health knowledge. This is also a stage of preparation for the next stage of field application.

Stage 4. Field application

When trainees return to their workplace or join new green care units, they need to practice the skills acquired in the previous stages to design green care activities that are suitable for the regions they work at by incorporating the local agricultural and green resources. They need to regularly lead the elders in the activities, as the relevant certification bodies will have two consultants for on-site observation and evaluation of the trainees based on the degree of creativity and meticulousness, and the feedback of the target audience.to ensure the activities developed by the trainees correctly conform to the concept of green care.

The trainees who complete the above four stages, with an achievement rate of over 80% in the first stage and full attendance in the second, third, and fourth stages will be awarded a certificate of green caregivers training completion and also receive the certification of "Green Caregiver", symbolizing green care professionalism.

The Present and Future of Green Care

Green care is a new concept in preventive medicine. On the basis of agricultural rehabilitation, green elements are incorporated in the care of the elderly. There is already a good amount of research on the benefits of green elements to the human body. This would require further promotion by active practitioners, and the training of green care professionals is indispensable. The "Program of Green Care Promotion System and Operational Network" of COA, as the forerunner of the concept of green care, has included much more planning and expectations than these above measures. CPC, in the continuous effort to assist COA to promote green care, will, in addition to assisting in the many green care activities of farmers’ and fishermen’s associations, play an active role in the "Green Care Stations" to provide heart-warming services to the elderly, such as regular health consultation, home visits, joint dining, green experience activities, etc. These are all important and worthy parts of long-term measures in the green care programs. You are invited to share our attention and concern with the future development of green care.