IMPACTS OF AGING:
- Response Time
- Balance and Coordination
- Vision and Hearing
These impacts are particularly dangerous when working with hazards like pesticides, equipment, animals, and driving.
UMASH responded to these concerns by partnering with innovative teams in the Upper Midwest.
1. We Consulted the Community
We started by listening and partnering with the agricultural community and their support systems. Aging farmers and their communities participated in a survey and two regional community forums. We asked questions like: How, as a community, can we support the health and safety of aging farmers and farm families? What are the challenges? What are the opportunities?
Participants identified the following health and safety priorities:
- Financial worries
- Musculoskeletal and repetitive stress injuries
- Fatigue and sleep issues
- Balance and coordination problems
- Operating heavy machinery
- Stress and anxiety
- Access to healthcare
2. Community Partnerships for Supporting Aging Farmers in the Upper Midwest
In partnership with UMASH, community organizations are addressing key challenges related to aging on the farm. From preventive health screenings to educational resources and driving safety programs, these ongoing community-based projects are helping farmers continue to live and work safely on their farms, while maintaining their health and well-being as they age.
Big Stone Area Memory Loss Connection is addressing dementia in rural communities through virtual training and a safe driving module. The initiative aims to expand driving evaluation programs to address aging, dementia, and safe driving challenges, while helping individuals stay active and engaged in their communities.- The Hormel Institute is collaborating with communities in rural Mower County, Minnesota to increase access to preventative health screenings and services. The mobile clinic initiative provides essential preventative health screenings, helping farmers maintain their health while reducing the burden on rural emergency services.
- University of Minnesota Extension and North Dakota State University Extension are creating and adapting educational resources for aging farmers and their families. The program is developing a toolkit of print and digital materials, including fact sheets, web articles, social media tools, and videos, to address various aspects of aging on the farm such as vision and hearing protection, fall prevention, assistive equipment pesticide safety and more.
3. We Partnered to Implement Community-Based Projects
UMASH learned from aging farmers and their support systems that their biggest concerns about aging on the farm were accessing healthcare, managing stress and anxiety, maintaining balance and coordination, and preventing musculoskeletal injuries. UMASH responded to these concerns by partnering with community organizations including four innovative teams in the Upper Midwest.
Virtual occupational therapy programming for farmers to reduce pain, improve balance and mobility, and continue activities of daily living.
Piloted a Rural Telehealth Occupational Therapy program reaching farmers across Minnesota, with 80% reporting improved ability to manage age-related changes and maintain farm operations (in partnership with University of Minnesota Occupational Therapy).
Faith-based community partners connected with local farmers to learn about their concerns and needs as they age in place on the farm
Conducted essential research with surveying farming communities, revealing 97% intend to age on their farms, identifying critical needs around mobility support, healthcare access, and daily task assistance.
Parkinson’s Disease support through at-home toolkits and telehealth programming to manage symptoms and increase independence.
Offered memory loss cafes to raise dementia awareness reaching 215+ community members, while resource kits at local libraries were used 80+ times by farming families (in partnership with Big Stone Area Memory Loss Connections).
Community-wide programming to enhance quality of dementia care, increase awareness, and reduce symptoms.
Trained 120+ rural healthcare providers in dementia care and strengthened local medical networks, reducing specialist wait times from 6 – 9 months through new referral partnerships.
These projects built sustainable community networks through partnerships with healthcare providers, faith organizations, libraries, and agricultural services – creating lasting infrastructure for rural aging support.
4. We Continue the Conversation and Share Free Resources
Based on our community-engaged work, UMASH collaborated to develop the following resources to raise awareness about and support the well-being of aging farmers.
VIDEO: Aging on the Farm
This video addresses the current aging population as it relates to farmers, farm families and workers. The average age of farmers is 58 and many choose to continue to work and live on the farm as it is a way of life.
Farming and ranching is rated one of the most dangerous and physically demanding occupations in the United States. Aging farmers are more vulnerable to injury and illness. Agriculture as an occupation presents unique challenges for retired or semi-retired farmers and employees. Rural communities often have limited access to health care. The video is intended to bring awareness as a community to the specific issues with aging in rural America. Let's start the conversation to promote the safety and health of our agricultural neighbors.
What is an occupational therapist?
Occupational Therapists (OT), among many other roles, can help individuals and their families navigate aging-related changes. OTs understand the connection between a person’s identity and their ability to engage in desired daily activities.
Older adults living in rural communities, like many farmers, often have limited access to OT services and strategies.
VIDEO SERIES
Maintain Productivity and Wellness While Aging on the Farm
To support aging farmers, several students at the University of Minnesota from rural and farming communities are bringing practical solutions right to farmers’ living rooms. They have developed a series of free videos, with accompanying worksheets and resources to support healthy aging:
WEBINAR
Aging and Parkinson's Disease in Agriculture
UMASH partnered with AgriSafe Network and the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety to host Aging and Parkinson’s Disease in Agriculture, a webinar available on demand. Featured presenters include Averi Olson, UMASH Occupational Therapy doctoral capstone student, and Dr. Kristen Pickett, UMASH Active @ Home Partner Project lead. Learn about the effects of Parkinson’s Disease and what it means for agricultural work, and hear about rural-specific tools and resources that help maximize farmer functioning.
The webinar is available on demand, for free, and can be used to obtain Continuing Education Units for nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other professionals.