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Paula and most of her fellow farm workers have dementia. Boerderij Op Aarde is one of hundreds of Dutch “care farms” operated by people facing an array of illnesses or challenges, either physical or mental. They provide meaningful work in agricultural settings with a simple philosophy: rather than design care around what people are no longer able to do, design it to leverage and emphasize what they can accomplish.

For people with dementia, who are often less physically active and more isolated, farm settings promote movement and social interaction. And care farms can have emotional benefits, too, giving participants a sense of purpose and of making a meaningful contribution.

Studies in Norway and the Netherlands found that people with dementia at care farms tended to move more and participate in higher-intensity activities than those in traditional care, which can help with mobility in daily life and have a positive impact on cognition. Dementia is often linked to social isolation, and care farms were found to boost social involvement, especially among those who wouldn’t opt for traditional assistance options. Spending time outdoors in nature, often part of a day on a care farm, can also improve well-being among people with dementia. Farms are not only good for individuals. Their families also benefit: studies find caregivers experience less guilt when their loved ones are supported by services they consider to be nurturing and fulfilling.

Most Museums Have Trouble Connecting To the Public. Maybe It's Time For Some New Ideas.

underprepared for their pending encounter with the visual arts

many audience members seem intuitively aware of what is missing: more access to the story explaining how and why a work has arrived at this place for their enjoyment.

Older Baby Boomers slated for retirement could create many new future job openings - if they decide to leave the job market at age 65. But that's a big "if." Several trends are now pointing toward delayed retirement due to increased personal expenses, better health and the desire to stay working - at least part-time - beyond age 65. For whatever reason, Baby Boomers are staying in the workforce longer than previous generations.

The BLS also predicts that the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry is expected to grow by 15 percent by 2018, with most of the growth in the amusement, gambling, and recreation sector.

Job growth is projected to stem partially from retired Baby Boomers who have more leisure time, more disposable income and more concern with being physically fit than the generations before them - all driving a need for more recreational programs.

individuals who have been repeatedly exposed to major disasters show a reduction in mental health scores

many communities that reside along the Gulf Coast are at the nexus of exposures from natural and anthropogenic, or human-caused, hazards,

a composite score for both mental (MCS) and physical (PCS) health