Abstract
Social relationships and engagement are critically important to well-being in later life and have been found to be strongly correlated with social isolation and loneliness. Loneliness, in particular, has been linked with increased rates of morbidity and mortality and addressing loneliness has recently been identified as a grand challenge for our health and social care systems. In this qualitative pilot study, the researchers introduce, describe, and evaluate the “virtual care farm” concept. Virtual care farms (VCF) are online communities where older adults connect with nature and with each other through nature-focused, web-based, therapeutic programming. The researchers examined the first VCF in the United States to better understand participants’ experiences. Descriptive analyses revealed that VCF participants (N = 161) were primarily retired, college-educated women, age 60 and older. Almost one-half lived with their spouse, while approximately one-third lived alone. The vast majority of participants reported that they engaged with the VCF nearly every day. Exploratory content analysis of participant feedback revealed three primary themes: (a) connecting with nature; (b) connecting with each other; and (c) rejuvenation and healing. While preliminary, the results from this pilot study indicate that VCF may be a cost-effective, convenient, and efficacious way to address loneliness and isolation in older adults through the union of nature and technology.