The ambition of our project was to stimulate both vulnerable older people and their family or (in)formal caregivers to spend more time in nature in order to increase wellbeing, health and social inclusion and support sustainable behaviour, by providing them with a toolkit full of interesting learning material and a library of activities you can do with vulnerable older people in nature. We wanted to do this in particular to enhance nature-related competences and green skills of frail older people and their informal caregivers in order to experience nature in an accessible manner. In doing so, it would: • Promote social inclusion and engagement of frail older people as well as overall wellbeing and health. • Support awareness on sustainability and the importance of nature conservation. • Promote accessible and flexible learning opportunities, while bringing generations together and empowering frail older people.
Research shows that being connected to nature can lead to important benefits, such as increased vitality, happiness, and life satisfaction. Older individuals with access to nearby nature have shown increased participation in outdoor physical activities, improved mental health and cognitive function and an increase in social interaction, providing key ingredients for wellbeing in later life. On the other hand, research shows that people in developed nations spend almost all their time indoors and most of the world’s population now lives in urban rather than rural areas. Vulnerable older people, in particular, tend to go outside less. Many frail older people suffer from dementia, loneliness, and/or physical problems with a reduced mobility level. This creates barriers to going outside and experiencing nature. Also, many times family and/or (in)formal caregivers do not realize the importance of spending time in nature or do not know how to spend more time in nature in a nice and interesting way.