“Social Farming on Slate Lodge Stud Farm”: Supporting active ageing through social farming

Description

Una and Val Cross own Slate Lodge Stud Farm, a 50-acre holding located in Rathangan in Co. Kildare. In 2019, Val and Una became involved with Social Farming Ireland, a programme which provides an outcome-focused support placement for people on ordinary farms using the natural assets of the people, the place, the activities and the community, which help to support a person to achieve some of their own chosen goals. Social Farming provides an innovative option for services seeking supports for people which will allow them to undertake everyday social and other activities in the environment of the ordinary working family farm, in line with their own preferences and interests. The Cross’s encapsulate the core values of the Social Farming Ireland programme for their elderly service users, by providing a person-centred and individualised experience on their farm.
Social farming can significantly enhance the quality of life for older individuals, especially those in social care, by addressing issues like loneliness, social isolation, illness, disability, or poverty. For older people with farming backgrounds, this experience can be particularly fulfilling and essential to their well-being.
Indeed, supporting the elderly in their own community and encouraging active ageing has always been a passion for Val and Una. Val is involved in the community alert team in Rathangan and looks after the monitored alarms for over 65’s in the community. As such, the Cross’ strived to develop their social farm offering to provide a more inclusive experience for older members of society, and over the past number of years have honed their skills and experience to create a holistic and welcoming support space for active ageing and elder care.
Since becoming social farmers in 2019, Val and Una have welcomed many service users to their farm, including three elder care participants from the St. John of Gods Re-Nua support service, aged between 68 and 84.
The Cross’ are cognisant to the varying levels of ability of their participants and ensure that a wide range of engaging activities are available on their social farm to suit different needs. These activities include feeding and interacting with the farm animals, such as brushing and grooming the horses, and helping to feed the calves, the donkey and the miniature pony. Additional activities provided on the farm include feeding the ducks and hens, collecting eggs, gentle yard work and gardening, as well as growing fruits and vegetables. On rainy days, activities shift indoors, and participants bake with Una in the kitchen. Slate Lodge Stud farm also provides the opportunity for participants to simply walk around the farm and enjoy the fresh air and natural environment, getting some gentle exercise that is suited to people’s physical capabilities. It contributes to improved physical health and well-being from being more active in a very natural way.
Feedback from both participants and the support service underscores the profound positive impact that the experience on Val and Una’s farm has had on the elderly participants’ wellbeing. Several of the participants have been in the care system all their lives, and in their own words, this is the first opportunity they have had to feel ‘part of a family’. Indeed, Una and Val see their elderly social farm attendees as an extension of their own family, and they visit them in their residences frequently. Interacting with the horses and other animals on the farm has also proven to be popular activity for the participants, as well as helping Val and Una with the gardening and baking. Improvements in mobility and increased levels of exercise amongst the participants was also noted by the service providers as well as the participants themselves, as well as improvements in wellbeing and social connections with other attendees.
Deirdre Farrell, a facilitator from Re-Nua at St. John of Gods support service, praises Val and Una’s impact: “Val and Una are so compassionate and caring; they are the perfect match for our lads. They treat them like family, which is so welcome as some participants have no families of their own. The lads love sitting around the kitchen table, having tea and homemade scones, and chatting about farm activities. Social farming with Val and Una is the best thing we’ve ever been involved in.”
The social farming experience has also enriched Val and Una’s lives. They have learned much from the older generation, enjoying their stories, kindness, and happiness at being on the farm. Val and Una cherish their time with the participants, likening it to having ‘three loving, caring grandfathers in our home’.

Aim of Initiative

In collaboration with Social Farming Ireland, Una and Val Cross from Slate Lodge Stud Farm offer a social support programme that utilizes the natural environment of a social farm to promote wellbeing and active aging for elderly service users.

Who is it aimed at

Elderly citizens in social care support services.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Building and maintaining collaborative relationships with Social Farming Ireland and Elder Care Support Services. Financial support for the participants choice to engage in social farming, from Health & Social Care Services.
2. Respecting the participants and their autonomy and help to promote their independence and capability by understanding their needs and abilities.
3. Encourage social interactions and facilitate a fun and enjoyable experience for all.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Understanding the different challenges that impact elderly people, and how best to support them.
2. Adapting the farm activities to the various needs of the different elderly participants and making it as assessable as possible for everyone.
3. Security of on-going funding to maintain and support placements is a challenge.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Improvement of social connections for the elderly participants. Val and Una understand that many of their elderly participants have no immediate family members, and so developing meaningful friendships has been an important outcome. The core values of Social Farming include being relational at its heart, with time and space given to allow relationships to build with the farmers and the participants.
2. Improvement in the emotional wellbeing of the elderly participants.
   Some evidence through feedback received Participant – “I like speaking to everyone on the farm and the fun and laughter.”
   Farmer “Our grandchildren adore him and always gravitate towards him, he is so gentle they will sit up beside him at the table chatting. He loves doing jobs and being valued and we love having him here. On days when he is on his own on farm he thrives and really enjoys the individual one on one time.”
3. Improvement in the physical mobility of the elderly participants. Being outdoors in the natural farm environment helps so promote active ageing, and indeed many of the elderly participants to Val and Una’s farm report improved mobility and an increase their levels of physical activity. Participant feedback “I like being on the farm outside walking around in the fresh air.”