29-07-2025
Okanagan farm connects dementia care with agriculture through day program
Simple Life Care Farm is a breath of fresh air in dementia care.
The farm in Lake Country, B.C. is a place where seniors with dementia can come and spend the day.
'It's quite transformative,' said Shelly Frend, Simple Life Care Farm director.
The day program is an opportunity for clients to get outside, get their hands dirty and connect with the earth.
'It floods the senses, and the brain has to deal with that, so the dementia takes a back seat and they are allowed to just be and relax for a while,' said Frend.
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Frend is a long-term care provider that saw the opportunity to bring something new to the Okanagan, inspired by similar programs overseas.
'In the Netherlands, they have over 1,000 care farms. Not all for dementia; they use them for autism, mental health, addiction recovery — like, you name it, there is a care farm for it, and they have over 200 for dementia, and that's because it works so well,' said Frend.
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Hector Scarelli is one of the first to participate in the new day program.
'When (Scarcelli and Frend) first would go for a walk, he would be all puffed out after a few blocks. Now they walk right around our complex. We live in a gated community, and he comes out here; he's not even tired,' said Bev Scarcelli, Hector's wife.
The farm is already seeing success with the care-farming model.
'It's so much nicer because he has a quality of life,' said Bev.
This program is just sprouting but the interest is growing.
