Finland is a sparsely populated land with plenty of nature. The population density per square kilometer is only 16, whereas Singapore’s population density is the third tightest in the world, 7,796. It is, therefore, no surprise that Finns have a tight connection to nature. People enjoy walking and hiking in the forests, cross-country skiing in the winter, picking berries and mushrooms and following the change of seasons in nature.
In general, Green Care includes activities that maintain and improve our wellbeing and quality of life. It is founded on a variety of methods using elements of nature and animals. Various activities can happen in rural and agricultural environments, but also in the woods, in the garden or even indoors (we have a lot of green elements inside) and also in urban areas such as Singapore. Green care is used as a supporting tool in health care, the prevention of health problems and rehabilitation.
It has scientifically been proven that nature has a healing effect on us. Visiting the forest regularly have been proven to lower blood pressure, detoxify the body and improve people’s overall mood. Our Wellness trail is a good example of the benefits one can get by immersing ourselves in the surroundings. (see our previous blog about Wellness trail here). The effects on the wellbeing and the quality of life of the elderly are based on the use of all senses, which help activate mental images and memories.
Another example is the use of animals in supporting the wellbeing of our elderly clients. Animals can be used either in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) or activities (AAA).
People often ask us what Green care means to us and how do we use Green care in our daily operations. Due to our excellent location in Horsecity, we can provide animal-assisted therapy and activities, such as equine therapy. Our clients can visit the horses, feed them and brush them. And it works, you can see it in our clients face when it lits up when in contact with a horse.
The lush greeneries of Hovi Care Horsecity and the Kampong-feel makes our surroundings very therapeutic. Come and visit, and see for yourselves. We would also encourage you to try out the Wellness trail. Rest assured, it will be beneficial, for both; young and old.