Simon Fraser University researchers are laying the groundwork for an innovative long-term care model that combines nature-based therapy with village-setting care to enhance the quality of life for people living with dementia.
B-roll of Green Care Farms activities at The Village Langley available to download here
First developed on traditional farms in the Netherlands, the Green Care Farm (GCF) model integrates long-term care with farm-related activities in a therapeutic setting to foster autonomy, cognitive stimulation, and emotional well-being for people living with dementia. Now, a first-of-its-kind research project is bringing this model to Canada.
"When older adults, especially people living with dementia, move into long-term care homes, quite often they have limited or restricted access to outdoor spaces because of safety concerns and lack of appropriate onsite outdoor area," says Habib Chaudhury, professor in the Department of Gerontology and SFU research lead.
"From an ethical perspective, such a situation challenges their human rights to have access to outdoors. On a functional level, this represents compromised mobility independence, which in turn, erodes their sense of autonomy and wellbeing. We want to understand how exploring that natural environment and taking part in activities, such as, horticulture-working with the soil, engaging with animals-can enhance their quality of life."
The GCF project at The Village Langley is part of a research collaboration between Chaudhury at SFU and Sharon Kaasalainen at McMaster University School of Nursing and is supported in part by funding from the Government of Canada's New Frontiers in Research Fund. The research evaluates the impact of Green Care Farms on cognitive, physical, psychological, and social well-being among people living with dementia in two Canadian facilities; the second site is in Ontario.
At The Village Langley, long-term residents have unrestricted access to the outdoor space in the village environment.
Beginning in spring 2026, researchers will conduct regular semi-structured interviews or informal conversations with the residents, their families and caregivers, as well as staff and management. Social engagement and interaction with the "green" or natural elements will be documented through direct observation methods and validated assessment tools developed in the Netherlands.
The research team will also collect data on residents' mental health using standardized depression scales and assess sleep quality through structured questionnaires.
Inspired by the Dutch dementia village concept, The Village Langley is one of only two dementia villages in Canada. Located on a secure five-acre property, it features six cottage-style homes (with 13 residents each), landscaped gardens, tree-lined walkways, a bistro, a general store, a salon and spa, a woodworking shop, a community centre, and abundant green space.
While not a working farm, the Village includes a red barn, a chicken coop, goats, fruit trees, raised garden beds, and a new greenhouse, which are ingredients of the Netherlands' GCF model. Residents can freely explore the property, making it an ideal setting for this research, Chaudhury notes.
The research team has also introduced an adult day program, inviting participants from community-based day program to visit the Village, socialize with residents, and enjoy the outdoor environment for a few hours each week.
Gail Deyle's mother, Doreen Freeland, has been going to the adult day program throughout the summer and fall, and Deyle says she sees improved cognition and mood on program days.
"She's much more alert for longer periods during the day, and much more interactive in the afternoon, after we leave on program days," says Deyle, adding Freeland used to be 'land girl' in Britain during the Second World War, growing produce to feed the soldiers.
"She once told me that if she couldn't put her hands in the dirt, she didn't want to be around," Deyle says. "To find this program was a blessing. It warms my heart to know this is giving her that little bit extra quality of life and connection."
The initiative at The Village Langley is a unique example of how two transformative care models-dementia villages and Green Care Farms-can be merged to reimagine long-term dementia care in Canada, Chaudhury says.
"The research team's goal is to provide evidence that can inform future policy to promote and implement innovative approaches in long-term care that will create a normalised and naturally rich supportive care community," he says.
Chaudhury and his team are also taking part in a research project at the only other dementia village in Canada-Providence Living at The Views, a publicly funded facility, as part of Providence Health Care, in Comox on Vancouver Island, B.C.
In that study, the SFU team explores how the physical environment of the care village influences the experiences of both residents' quality of life, and staff care practices and social interactions.
SFU expert available
HABIB CHAUDHURY, professor, Department of Gerontology; associate director, Gerontology Research Centre
Expertise: aging and the built environment, long-term care, seniors' housing, neighbourhoods for active aging, environments for people with dementia, age-friendly communities, dementia-friendly communities
TIANCI DONG, graduate student, project researcher
Expertise: Alzheimer's disease and dementia, long-term care
MYIA WILHELM, graduate research assistant
Expertise: dementia villages, dementia-friendly communities, environmental gerontology, impact of the built environment on the quality of life of people living with dementia
