Green care

Green care

Social prescribing is a hot topic. Touted as the potential future of health and social care, community schemes could become an increasingly important resource for social workers considering taking a more holistic approach to care. With this in mind, we find out about Countrymen UK; a nationwide initiative which is making the most of ‘green’ care by using outdoor activities as an alternative to traditional day centres for men.

Countrymen UK is a unique initiative which uses outdoor activities and clubs to prevent isolation amongst men. Used as an alternative to day centres, it’s an ideal solution for those who find themselves unable to access farm, garden and countryside environments for work and leisure because of changing social conditions or their deteriorating physical or mental health. Countrymen UK Clubs have been spreading across the UK and are now available in selected locations from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands. Twelve care farms and gardens are already recruiting members, while others are poised to accept new members in the coming months. Other groups are expected to join the growing network throughout 2020 and 2021.

Countrymen UK aims to help men become more resilient to the life changes they experience as a result of rural isolation and ageing. The Clubs are particularly keen to recruit men who have long-term health conditions including dementia, Parkinson’s disease or other limiting, long-term illnesses, but they are open to men of all ages. Typically, the men will have an affinity with the outdoors and may have worked in farming, horticulture or forestry but equally may be exservicemen or outdoor sportsmen.

The need for alternative provision.

Julie Plumley is the Director of Future Roots and Countrymen UK, and a registered social worker with over twenty years of experience; she founded Future Roots, a care farm giving learning opportunities and mentoring to young people who were excluded from

school, and who found mainstream school difficult to manage for a variety of reasons. These young people were mostly referred by social services and education when their behaviours had become a challenge both in and out of school.

But when Julie’s dad, John, contracted Parkinson’s disease, it became apparent that traditional day care centres weren’t the answer. Julie explained, “Our family wanted to keep dad, a lifelong farmer, active and involved in his farm and outdoor interests, but we could only find traditional day care centres, which favoured indoor and relatively passive activities or talking groups.

“This was alien for a man who loved the outdoors and had been physically active throughout his life. Despite trying some local day care centres, he found it difficult to engage and eventually rejected them.

“Dad wanted to return to the environments and activities he loved. He wanted to mix with like-minded men; he wanted some control and choice back in his life and to make decisions for himself for as long as he possibly could.”

Julie’s experience, and that of her dad, led to the start of the first Countrymen’s Club, which encompassed choice, physical activities and socialising with men who shared outdoor interests and backgrounds.

different kind of intervention for those who need it.

“It’s all based on the therapeutic use of farms and other outdoor environments.” said Julie, “It’s about a love of animals, countryside smells and a sense of space and wellbeing. It motivates people by feeling useful, involved and able to make personal choices. It’s a

“The unique combination of activities taking place outdoors reflects our belief, underpinned by recent research, that getting back to farm and countryside environments and green spaces, overcomes isolation and has a positive impact on physical health and mental wellbeing.”

From the farmer’s mouth.

Dan Hodgeson, a Countrymen Club member in Dorset, said, “I was depressed and isolated. I missed the life I once had in the countryside and had little contact with people outside my family. That’s all changed now. I love being outside again. It brings back memories. It’s become a new adventure for me – a healthy adventure. And I’m surrounded by people who share my interests.”

Countrymen Clubs also cater for family carers by providing opportunities for respite, as well as the chance to socialise and gain mutual support.

David Drysdale is Countrymen UK’s Project Manager and claims that a great deal of medical and social research shows that men with long-term health condition benefit greatly from active, outdoor exercise that’s interesting and familiar.

He says, “Activities such as working with animals, gardening, competing (or cheating) in outdoor games and craft work should also be recognised for the value they bring.

“If you have been active all your life and then spend a long period of time sat in a chair, muscles stiffen and mobility can become more difficult. Men generallysocialise more when they are working, and it has beenrecognised that they are more likely to become isolatedand lonely than women as they age. This is becausewomen typically engage more in social activities withother family members, while men become more isolatedonce they give up their work or are prevented fromworking because of health conditions.

“The outdoors stimulates the senses; the smells andchanges in temperature and season, all help to engagepeople in what is happening now. There’s alwayssomething different to motivate and develop the men’sinterests.”

Is it only men?

Countrymen UK Clubs are only for men, though thisdoesn’t stop anyone from establishing a separategroup for women. The important thinking behind thisis that men should have an opportunity for genderedintervention as they do tend to act and talk quitedifferently when women are present. Some men actuallyhave negative feelings when women are present, suchas embarrassment and indignity that they may no longerbe the ‘rock’ on which their families rely.

However, being amongst other men with sharedbackgrounds, interests and conditions, means negativefeelings can be explored more easily and beingamongst new friends, helps to overcome the problemsof spilled lunches or loose trousers.

Julie Plumley explains further, “When women haveattended in the past, the men become quite passiveand often lose their sense of openness and decisionmaking.They tend to do what the women say theyshould do, to such an extent that the women actuallyinsisted that the men wear a hat or a coat and, indeed,put hats and coats on for them. We do see men helpingothers but it’s a different scenario, where someone willask for help rather than it being thrust upon them.

“Mixed groups often retain certain roles so the womenoften act as the nurturer but, because of the fragilityor vulnerability of some, the men can easily lose theiridentity and become passive around the women. Whenthe men are together, they are more of a team. Somewill have joined clubs, been part of sports teams,worked in male-dominated environments. All of thismeans that their banter and humour is often containedor curtailed out of respect for the women I think.”

Research suggests that the approach really works.

In a study carried out on behalf of Independent Ageand the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK) byBeach B, Bamford S-M. Isolation: the emerging crisisfor older men: A report exploring experiences of socialisolation and loneliness among older men in Englandsaid, “Loneliness is defined as a subjective perceptionin which a person feels lonely. Social isolation broadlyrefers to the absence of contact with other people.” Itwent on to say that, “A growing generation of older menis facing a future of increased isolation. Meanwhile, thenumber of older men aged 65+ living alone is projectedto rise by 65% between now and 2030.”

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Independent Age,said: “Our new research highlights the importance ofsocial contact for older men; poor physical and mental health is much more likely for those who are sociallyisolated. In terms of medical services, the evidenceshows that older men are less likely to seek help or askfor support.”

Authors of a report to the Big Lottery Fund said, “Itis important that we are specifically targeting men;consulting with men in the target group about whatthey want and need, having ‘hooks’ to encourage initialengagement, building individual relationships andtailoring the service towards a range of needs.”

David Drysdale, Countrymen UK Project Manager, said,“There is sufficient evidence from many studies thatboth support and reflect the approach we are taking.It’s up to individual agencies, including social work, toseek out this evidence and explore its implications forreferrals and ancillary support.”

It’s for men of all ages.

Countrymen UK says that it is now finding that youngermen, with the challenges of dementia, Parkinson’sdisease, stroke recovery, post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and other long-term conditions, are beingdenied an active outdoor life. It may be due to a lackof understanding of the ‘green care’ sector and what ithas to offer or a strange reluctance to make the rightreferrals to the right organisations. For that reason,Countrymen UK is keen to emphasise that the Clubsare open to men of all ages and not just those in theirautumnal years.

However, the benefits to those men who have spentmost of their lives outside cannot be over-emphasised.Ken ‘Smith’, a Countrymen Club member said, “I farmedall my life until Parkinson’s got me. I thought that wasthe end, but it wasn’t. The club has helped me get outof the house. It’s given my wife the respite she needs,and we can both see the difference in my outlook onlife, my general health and fitness, and my mobility.

“I’m also among people of different ages and abilities.I’m given respect and my advice about animals andfarming is actually asked for – and I get to do somefarming, in the fresh air, again. Preparing feed, feedingthe animals, growing vegetables and plants, mendingfences or benches, countryside crafts and whateverelse needs to be done. It’s not a day care centre.”

Incorporating ‘green’ care into every day social work.

The team at Countrymen UK are keen to encouragesocial work teams to start considering the positiveeffects that ‘green’ care can bring to those in need. Withboth physical and mental health benefits from outdoorsactivities, even something as simple as encouraging daycare centres to promote active outdoors activities suchas an organised walk can make a big difference.

Social workers can find out more about the local Clubsby contacting the Countrymen UK team. As well asusing referrals to determine if there is a need in yourarea, they are keen to collaborate with social workteams to strengthen services and continue providingthe most appropriate levels of care to men.

Find out more.

If you’d like to find out more about Countrymen UK, visitcountrymenuk.org, email admin@countrymenuk.org orphone 01963 210789.