1.5 Years Later...
Care Outdoors is designed to support lasting changes in practice. Recently, I asked Samantha, CEO of Adult Enrichment Centers, two questions after her team had been using Care Outdoors for 1.5 years.
After 1.5 years of using Care Outdoors at Adult Enrichment Centers, what has been the greatest benefit for your organization, your team, and the people you support?
"Care Outdoors provided a platform and structure for our team, ensuring time Outdoors had more significance than just 'fresh air.' It taught us to think about how and why Nature-based programming benefitted us and our members, and seeing our members embrace it as something they could do to improve their physical and mental health was huge. No cost to go Outdoors and think, or meditate, or journal, and each individual can decide for themselves how to incorporate that."
Would you recommend Care Outdoors to other organizations? If so, why?
"Yes. Absolutely. We know Nature is good and we know it benefits us, but Care Outdoors provides a deeper level of knowledge around that and builds a structure to ensure it is used consistently to improve the quality of life of our members."
— Samantha Kriegshauser, CEO, Adult Enrichment Centers
An experiential learning program designed to help individuals and organizations bring evidence-based, nature-connected care into practice while helping shape the future of aging, care, and healthy longevity.
Nature is our #1 Care Ally
The Care Outdoors Companion Certificate is an experiential learning program that prepares individuals, professionals, and community leaders to intentionally integrate Nature into care, health, wellbeing, and community settings.
Through guided practices, current research, and reflective dialogue, participants cultivate their own relationship with Nature while developing practical skills that can be adapted to a wide range of personal and professional settings.
Whether you are supporting older adults, family members, clients, students, neighbors, or your own wellbeing, you'll discover simple, meaningful ways to recognize Nature as an essential ally in healthy aging and care.
By the end of the program, participants will have the confidence, knowledge, and practical tools to thoughtfully integrate nature-based practices into everyday life and care.
The Care Outdoors Companion Certificate and the Eco Gerontology Certificate are designed to complement one another while serving different learning goals.
Many participants choose to complete both certificates, but each may be taken independently.
🌿 Founding Cohort Alumni Scholarship (2026–2027)
Graduates of either certificate receive a 50% Founding Cohort Alumni Scholarship toward the companion certificate, supporting continued learning while helping shape the emerging field of Eco Gerontology.
Cultivate the knowledge, skills, and embodied practices needed to bring nature-connected companion care into aging services, home care, and community settings.
The Dire Need for Care Outdoors
Reimagining Care: Our Relationship with Nature
Green Care Approaches
The Emerging Field of Eco Gerontology
Sensory Engagement with Nature & Removing Barriers
Growing a Nature-Based Care Practice & Career Pathways
Community of Practice
Connect with a growing community of caregivers, educators, practitioners, advocates, and changemakers exploring nature-connected care. Share ideas, challenges, and practical strategies while helping shape the future of Care Outdoors and Eco Gerontology.
Accountability & Support
Stay engaged and inspired through live sessions, reflective practices, and meaningful connections with fellow participants.
Flexible Learning
Learn at your own pace through online modules, experiential outdoor practices, and real-world application that fits your schedule.
Each live session includes a brief presentation followed by interactive discussion, reflection, and opportunities to share stories, insights, and discoveries.
Six 1-Hour Live Sessions
Thursdays
10:00 AM PST | 1:00 PM EST
September 17, 2026
September 24, 2026
October 1, 2026
October 8, 2026
October 15, 2026
October 22, 2026
Care Outdoors Community
Continue the conversation through the Care Outdoors Community, where participants share stories, photographs, resources, ideas, and inspiration.
Course Content
Explore evidence-informed Green Care and nature-connected care practices that support health, wellbeing, belonging, and quality of life. Learn practical strategies for facilitating meaningful outdoor experiences in aging services, home care, and community settings.
Organizational Partnerships
Customized team training and organizational learning pathways are available for aging services providers, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, universities, parks and recreation agencies, and community-based programs.
Contact: [email protected]
"My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of Nature." –Claude Monet
Being indoors for extended periods can negatively impact mood, potentially leading to depression and stress, which can, in turn, disrupt sleep patterns.
Research shows lack of exposure to natural sunlight, which helps regulate the body's sleep-wake rhythms, can further exacerbate sleep issues.
Prolonged lack of natural sunlight can lead to various health effects, including weakened immune system, low energy levels, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), weaker bones, and weight gain, due to reduced production of vitamin D and serotonin, disruption of circadian rhythm, and slowed metabolism.
Decreased outdoor activity leads to reduced physical movement compared to being outdoors, where activities like walking are more common, potentially contributing to a sedentary lifestyle with associated health risks.
Reduces Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation
Inspires Awe and Gratitude
Increases Physical Activity
Fosters Connectedness & Promotes Social Inclusion
Improves Cognitive Function & Reduces Stress
Strengthens Immunity & Bolsters Digestion
Improves Sleep and Hydration
Generates Joy, Calm, Gratitude, Pain Reduction, Wellbeing
Care Outdoors Companion Guide & Practice Journal
Explore evidence-based Green Care and nature-connected care practices that support wellbeing, belonging, engagement, and quality of life across aging services, home care, and community settings.
Develop practical approaches for integrating Nature into everyday care and living experiences using insights from the science of awe and Nature Connectedness.
Explore the emerging field of Eco Gerontology and discover how Nature can enrich age-friendly, livable, and person-centered approaches to aging, care, and community wellbeing.
Apply creative, person-centered outdoor practices that foster Reciprocal-Shared Care, meaningful engagement, social inclusion, and community connection.
Green Care, Green Social Prescribing, and nature-based approaches to health and wellbeing are gaining momentum around the world.
Care Outdoors moves beyond understanding the benefits of Nature by helping participants intentionally integrate Nature into everyday care practice.
Care Outdoors Companion Training equips organizations, care providers, and community leaders with practical tools to integrate evidence-informed, nature-connected care into aging services, home care, adult day programs, and community settings.
Participants learn how to foster purpose, joy, meaningful engagement, belonging, and quality of life while helping reduce isolation and support workforce wellbeing.
Through a blend of online learning, live community sessions, and experiential outdoor practices, participants gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to bring nature-connected care into real-world settings.
Organizational partnerships and team learning pathways are available.
Upon successful completion of the program, participants receive a Care Outdoors Certificate recognizing their training in evidence-informed, nature-connected care and Green Care approaches.
More importantly, participants join a growing community of Care Outdoors Leaders committed to bringing meaningful connections with Nature into aging services, home care, adult day programs, healthcare, and community settings.
Care Outdoors supports a new green care standard that recognizes Nature as an essential partner in health, wellbeing, belonging, and healthy longevity.
Whether you are a caregiver, activity professional, healthcare provider, educator, community leader, or advocate, you will leave with practical tools, experiential knowledge, and a deeper understanding of how Nature can support healthier people, communities, and care systems.
As Green Care, Green Social Prescribing, and nature-based approaches to health and wellbeing continue to gain momentum around the world, Care Outdoors positions participants and organizations at the forefront of this growing movement.
For organizations, Care Outdoors offers a professional development pathway that can strengthen staff wellbeing, expand meaningful engagement opportunities, and help cultivate a more nature-connected culture of care.
Care Outdoors Companion Training is designed for caregivers, activity professionals, home care providers, adult day services staff, aging services organizations, healthcare professionals, students, educators, volunteers, and community leaders interested in nature-connected care and Green Care approaches.
No. The training is designed for both newcomers and experienced professionals seeking to integrate nature-connected care into their work, programs, organizations, or communities.
Care Outdoors Companion Training is a six-week learning experience that combines self-paced online learning, experiential outdoor practices, and six live community sessions.
Participants receive six months of access to the course materials, providing ample time to revisit lessons, complete reflections, and integrate the practices into their work and daily life.
Yes. Participants complete the online modules at their own pace while also participating in live community sessions and experiential outdoor practices throughout the program.
Participation includes:
• Access to all course modules
• Six live community sessions
• The Care Outdoors Companion Guide & Practice Journal mailed directly to your home
• Access to the Care Outdoors Community
Yes. Participants who successfully complete the program receive a Care Outdoors Companion Certificate recognizing their training in evidence-informed, nature-connected care and Green Care approaches.
No. Care Outdoors practices can be adapted to a wide variety of environments, including gardens, patios, courtyards, neighborhoods, parks, care communities, and other accessible outdoor spaces.
Yes. Organizational partnerships and team learning pathways are available for aging services providers, home care agencies, adult day programs, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, universities, parks and recreation agencies, and community-based programs.
Please contact Monica at [email protected] to discuss organizational partnerships and team participation opportunities.
All live community sessions are recorded and made available within the course platform, allowing participants to stay engaged and access the material at a time that works best for them.
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