Empowering People with Dementia
Past Profiles
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Meredith Wilson
Landscape Architecture Student
Meredith is a Masters of Landscape Architecture student and is dedicated to designing landscapes for health and ecological wellbeing. She is excited to be working with Green Care Farms to study and design restorative spaces for people living with dementia. Meredith loves spending her time running down hills, rolling in grass, and getting lost in the woods.
Meredith's role with Green Care Farms includes landscape architecture, ecological design, therapeutic design, research, communications and graphic design.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
I love the concept of Green Care Farms because it creates a safe space for people with dementia to connect meaningully with nature. The benefits of this innovative dementia care service are immense and well-documented, but in Canada very few opportunities exist. We need more community-based initiatives such as Green Care Farms that apply this research and make things happen.
Canadian Frailty Network Fellow, Gerontologist, Evaluator
Stacey is a Canadian Frailty Network (CFN) Fellow who is joining Green Care Farms as part of her fellowship placement. Stacey is an experienced health executive who directs a regional research and evaluation program in the area of specialized geriatric services. She is an impassioned advocate for creating meaningful leisure opportunities for persons with dementia, and older adults. Stacey is an avid gardener, with an interest in the therapeutic benefits of nature and social connection.
Stacey's role with Green Care Farms includes website and social media development.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
My Mum was an avid gardener and passionate about nature. When she was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's disease, we were frustrated with the limited variety of activities, particularly outdoor activities, that were available to people with dementia. One of my fondest memories of her is spending an afternoon planting a pear tree. At the time, I thought how wonderful it would be for others with dementia to have the opportunity to do the same. Working on this project with Green Care Farms has been a labour of hope.
Stacey Hawkins
Kim Jones
Social Media Lead,
Environmental Activist
Kim is an environmentalist and baker with a passion for sustainability and food. With a degree in Global Development and Environmental Studies, Kim aspires to motivate positive change through inspirational organizations such as Green Care Farms. Kim brings experience in communications and social media projects and is currently leading social media for Green Care Farms.
In her spare time, Kim enjoys gardening, hiking, and indoor climbing.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
My passion for this project is rooted in my own experiences of farming and land-based learning, and the healing properties of these activities.
Gemm Belle
Graphic Designer
Gemm is a dedicated Graphic Designer who joined Green Care Farms to help with their logo rebranding and visual design. With a background in user research, she puts her skills to use in order to create tailored designs for her audience.
Gemm enjoys being in nature, taking photos of mushrooms, and eating ice cream.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
The concept and core values of Green Care Farms are what attracted and excited me to work on the project. I believe everyone deserves to live a life filled with meaning, and the supported environment GCF creates for individuals with dementia is absolutely beautiful and is definitely something that is needed in Canada.
Sherry Rezani
Researcher,
Evaluator
Sherry has a Master’s in Public Health and works as a community-based researcher evaluating programs offered to diverse populations such as people living with dementia, newcomers, and youths. She loves contributing to positive changes in people’s lives and Green Care Farms Inc. provides her with this opportunity. In her free time, Sherry spends time with her family, cuddles with her cats, and makes puzzles.
Sherry's role with Green Care Farms includes research coordination and management, including conducting literature reviews, evidence visualization, and evaluation support.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
I was fascinated to learn how engagement in simple gardening activities at Green Care Farms lead to positive physical, mental, and social health impacts for people living with dementia. Green Care Farms Inc. is a bridge to these benefits for people living with dementia in Canada and we need more support for such initiatives.
Tamara Brown
(they/them)
Public Relations Lead,
Farmhand,
Nature-Enthusiast
Tamara is a farmer with a passion for all the ways food and farming connect us as people, as well as to the natural world. They bring their experience working in program coordination and communications for non-profits. Tamara is working with Kim & Vianca on Green Care Farms communications, taking a lead on public relations in particular.
Tamara spends lots of time developing relationships with the local plants and birds, playing double bass, and cooking with as many seasonal ingredients as they can find.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
As someone who is working on the land every day, I have a keen understanding of the healing and restorative nature of being outdoors, and of tending and to plants and the living world. I’m excited for Green Care Farms giving the opportunity for more people with dementia to be able to age in place with their caregivers; rural health programming is so important for thriving rural communities.
Danielle Jones
(she/her)
Communication Strategist,
Social Media Lead
Danielle is a health communications specialist who’s passionate about linking health and the outdoors. She has worked in various positions in the government and non-profits. She’s an amateur gardener, avid sports fan and health enthusiast. When she’s not working or volunteering as Green Care Farms social media coordinator, you can find her hiking or playing archery tag.
Why do you love Green Care Farms?
So often our elderly are forgotten or an afterthought when they should be at the center of our communities. Growing and nurturing are an integral part of everyone's wellbeing, and people living with dementia should continue to have that opportunity.
Green Care Farms offers dignity, social, mental and physical benefits that I hope to see replicated throughout our country. Everyone who wants to get their hands dirty in the earth, should have that amazing experience.