Silver meets green :

The Dutch age care system is facing intense pressures correlated to the accelerated aging of its population: 8.6% were aged 75 and over in 2020, they should be 17% in 2050 according to the United Nations. In January 2014, almost 5% of the population received long-term care services, half of them in a residential facility. This organisation is deemed unsustainable with the growth of the elderly population. Providers are required to innovate and invent new ways of caring for elderly people in a more efficient way, harnessing the power of new technologies or, at Pennemes & Mennistenerf, of nature. Not surprising in a country that was ranked as the 6th happiest country in the world in 2020 by the annual World Happiness Report, a ranking where the natural environment is deemed to be playing a major role in the population's happiness.

Nature-assisted health innovation investigates how to use all the aspects of nature and environment to care for elderly people. This green innovation is a cheap and effective way to improve aged care while taking a stance to protect our planet. The Dutch organisations Pennemes and Mennistenerf decided to harness the power of Green innovation to improve how they care for elderly people in their aged care facilities near Amsterdam. Starting from daily problems such as air quality, the team engaged in an innovative pathway centred on nature, filling the facility with plants or increasing exposition to sunlight. With a shared memory garden and a mini-farm, they attracted a wide community of volunteers who help them do better for their resident and the planet.