THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF GREEN CARE FARMS: A COMPARISON WITH EXISTING NURSING HOMES

摘要

Green care farms (GCFs) that provide 24-hour nursing care are developing. The environment of a GCF has unique characteristics such as the combination of care and agricultural activities, and the presence of gardens and animals. This study investigated the physical environment of 18 nursing home units, including 5 GCFs, 4 traditional nursing home wards, 6 small-scale living facilities on the terrain of a nursing home and 3 stand-alone small-scale living facilities. The OAZIS-Dementia was used, an observation tool indicating the potential of a care environment to have positive effects for people with dementia on 7 domains. GCFs scored higher than existing nursing homes on privacy and autonomy, sensory stimulation, view and nature, orientation and routing, and domesticity (p < .05). No differences were found on safety and facilities. GCFs allow residents to initiate activities and go outside whenever they want, which can be beneficial for their quality of life.