While I am not a certified therapist in any discipline, I do have 30+ years hiring, utilizing, planning and coordinating with therapists including: music, massage, speech, rec, PT/OT, hippo, mental health, physician consultation, neurology consultation and educational ARDs/IEPs. My active involvement with theses professional combined with the practical experience gained as a primary care giver to an individual diagnosed with Autism, Epilepsy and sever developmental delays provides me an informed perspective regarding therapy for: special needs individuals, care givers, therapists and education professionals.
Care givers
First addressing the care givers, we offer a setting for respite and relaxation to those who sacrifice themselves to care for another person who needs are real and persistent. Having a place to sit and listen to nature; walk and explore land, water, flowers, grass and trees; or garden by planting, pruning, picking or preparing produce, Taylor’s Gift Farm is designed by and attended to by a care giver just like you.
Being able to let your guard down and relax is not always possible. Your mind and attention always stays on the person you care for. But here, our volunteers and staff will attend to the individual so that you can attend to yourself. Take a nap, lay down in a hammock, sit by the pond, relax under the pavilion, take a walk on a country road, across the pasture or along the creek. Fish the pond, photograph the farm animals, feed the cattle, gather fresh eggs, or tend to plants in the high tunnels. Any or all of these activities are available to you.
Our hope is that a visit to the farm will renew your thoughts about the capacity you have to care for another person and the grace you have received for doing so.
Therapists
Second, addressing the therapists professionals, we offer a setting for active engagement with the client and the therapist. Using the farm setting therapeutic activities include fine motor control exercises, stamina development, confidence improvement, speech exercise, physical exercise, occupational exercise, socialization, independence, and much more: We believe therapists can incorporate farm activities available to the client individuals include:
- Pain mangement
- Anxiety management
- Stress reduction
- Cognitive enhancement
- Memory improvement
- Depression therapy
- Analytical support
- Communication
- Sensory development
- Mood elevation
- Physical skills development
Farm animals provide an opportunity to introduce touch, observation, hands-on interaction, familiarization, variety and individualization in these management categories. We believe client individuals will become associated with the farm and animals as the person interacts, observes and they themselves offer support care for the animals through therapy activities tailored to the clients skills and capabilities.
Additionally, activities associated with the high tunnels provides therapists the opportunity to plan and conduct tailored activities regarding planting, pruning, picking and packaging or even preparing food products from the gardens. We believe client individuals can expand their cognitive function relating to food and their bodies by using plant growth to harvest of recognizable produce through direct sensory observation, physical touch, and eventual meal consumption of farm produce.
Our design purpose for each element of the farm is familiarity of sight, sound and smell. Our color scheme is intentional to be easily recognizable by the client individual. To reinforce therapeutic activities outside of the farm setting, we build elements which are depicted in books, videos and schools which the client individual would typically have exposure. We believe client individuals will associate a personal sense of ownership of the animals and produce here on the farm as a result of their engagement and involvement in growth to harvest throughout the farm. Familiarity will be greatest through consistent attendance at the farm. We believe individual clients will anticipate their farm visits which will reinforce the therapeutic benefits throughout the year.
Educators
Just a the farm will benefit individuals undergoing therapeutic services, the general population can experience the farm similarly with the same benefits received with each visit. Educators can develop learning lessons to support classroom instruction with practical exercises planned for farm visits. Students can learn communication, knowledge, cooperation, patience, and other life skills related to produce and animal care.
