How Nature Enriches Resident Engagement
How Nature Enriches Resident Engagement
Recorded on: 07/11/2023
Technological advancements in resident engagement grow exponentially, but key findings still speak to one of the oldest forms of therapeutic wellness: nature. Evidence-based studies show that nature therapy is a critical intervention for widespread wellness issues; such as depression, loneliness, & dementia. Loneliness and depression have been on the rise in senior living due to isolation. Even before the pandemic, a 2019 study found that nature therapy (namely, horticultural therapy) was one of the most successful interventions for loneliness in senior living.
Orla Concannon and Rebecca Brogan of Eldergrow will lead this insightful webinar through the many ways that you can quickly and easily incorporate nature therapy into your communities and your own day-to-day lives. Their fun presentation will include interactive sensory stimulation techniques, simple biophilic design suggestions & activity ideas that will help to positively impact the quality of life and care for senior living residents and community staff.
Participants who join this webinar will be able to:
- Participants will be able to demonstrate simple, practical nature therapies and activities that can be used to help to improve the quality of life and quality of care in senior living settings.
- Participants will understand the evidence-based research around nature therapy specifically in the senior living field.
- Participants will identify the differences between active and passive nature therapies.
Orla Concannon
CEO and Founder
Eldergrow
Orla Concannon is the Founder and CEO of Eldergrow, an innovative Seattle-based company that brings nature indoors to older adults in senior living communities across the U.S. Orla has been a lifelong advocate for elders, working in the healthcare field for over twenty years. After working for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and senior living communities in the Pacific Northwest Orla developed Eldergrow while earning her Leadership Healthcare MBA and studying Therapeutic Horticulture. Eldergrow offers two nationwide therapeutic indoor gardening programs – the Therapeutic Horticulture Garden and the Culinary Herb Garden. Orla is dedicated to elders, fighting ageism, and providing a sense of purpose and hope through meaningful connections to nature.
Rebecca Brogan
Trainer & Program Specialist
Eldergrow
Rebecca Brogan is Eldergrow’s Trainer and Program Specialist and has worked for Eldergrow since 2017. She has worked with memory care and assisted living residents, managed five sensory gardens as an Educator, and creates Eldergrow’s therapeutic horticulture curriculum. Rebecca has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, certifications and studies in Horticulture, Permaculture, and Nursery Management, and studied brain injury and development at The Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential in Pennsylvania. Previously, she taught and developed hands-on, cross-departmental curriculum for K-8 students in Oakland. Her personal caregiving experiences for family members with varying degrees of brain injuries help fuel her passion and understanding of those with similar needs.
