Green Care: A Conceptual Framework - Frisk i naturen

These have been mentioned above and are summarised in Table 3.3
(below). Such processes can occur within the context, for example, of
sheltered employment or occupational therapy.
Within green care these ‘common processes’ take place in or are expressed
in the context of natural components or environments – plants, animals and
landscapes. They give rise to a number of ‘themes’ or ‘dimensions’ that
have been collected and described by many authors and are summarised
in Tables 3.3 and 3.4 (below), for example, the opportunity to nurture and
look after plants and animals. The backdrop of a natural dimension to a
common activity is thought to confer additional benefits. Pretty et al (2005,
2007), for example, showed that ‘green exercise’, i.e. physical activity
within a natural environment caused significant improvements in mood and
self-esteem. But nature is not just a backdrop in many forms of green care –
it is an essential ingredient. Farming and horticulture require participants to
actively engage with the natural environment. Without this those activities
would not be possible. The need to interact with nature and to shape it (as
all such activities invariably do) distinguishes activities such as farming
from those that use the natural environment as a backdrop (for example,
green exercise).
Table 3.3: Examples of ‘common’ dimensions in green care
n Development of a daily routine and structure
n Participation in production through meaningful activities (but not in a
pressured environment)
n Social interaction and opportunities for social contact
n Working with others for a common purpose
n Opportunities to be involved and ‘to have a say’ in the running of
activities
n Development of skills, competence and identity; and the
development of self-esteem and the esteem of others
n Opportunities for physical activity
n Association with work, occasional receipt of nominal pay or expenses
n Possible opportunities for paid employment
n Potential access to products and outputs of the farms or garden
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