Experiential continuing education for individuals and organizations seeking to bring nature-connected companion care into aging services, home care, and community settings.
The Care Outdoors Certificate
You are welcome to attend the Eco Gerontology Summer Seminar Series to experience this work in action.
If you choose to enroll, all seminar fees may be applied toward your tuition.
Included in Enrollment:
As a Care Outdoors participant, you receive complimentary access to the Eco Gerontology Summer Seminar Series, both during and after your program, supporting continued reflection and integration.
This certificate is a prerequisite for those wishing to continue into the Eco Gerontology Foundational Certificate.
June 25th-August 6th, 2026
Module 1: The Dire Need for Care Outdoors
Module II: Reimagining Care: Our Bond with Nature
Module III: Green Care Approaches
Module IV: The Emerging Field of Eco Gerontology
Module V: Sensory Engagement with Nature and Removing Barriers
Module VI: Growing Nature Connected Programs & Community
Learn Online and Practice Outdoors
Benefits of the Care Outdoors Cohort
Collaborative Learning & Networking
Engage with a national community sharing insights, challenges, and strategies.
This collaborative environment promotes collective growth, even if your group size is small.
Accountability & Motivation
Stay motivated and on track with regular check-ins and supportive connections with fellow participants.
Whether in a small group or individually, you'll have the structure to keep progressing.
Course Schedule and Flexibility
Enjoy the flexibility of learning at your own pace. You can work through the modules as your schedule allows and attend live sessions that fit your timetable.
Live Sessions
Immerse yourself in four live learning experiences!
Each 30-minute presentation flows into an interactive, reflective dialogue with an opportunity to share stories, insights, and discoveries in real time with your cohort.
1-hour Live Sessions:
10:00 AM PST | 1:00 PM EST
Dates:
Thursday, June 25th
Thursday, July 9th
Thursday, July 16th
Thursday, July 23rd
Thursday, July 30th
Thursday, August 6th
Care Outdoors Community
Stay inspired and connected with the Care Outdoors Community Page, where you can share stories, photos, and resources with our growing community of changemakers.
Course Content
Explore evidence-based green care and nature-connected companion care practices that support health and wellbeing. Learn to facilitate meaningful outdoor experiences in aging services, home care, and community settings, grounded in real-world application.
Organizational Cohorts
Request a Customized Organizational Quote for team or organizational training pathways.
Email: [email protected] for more information.
"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
Through guided outdoor practices, directly experience the mental, physical, social, and environmental benefits of nature-connected companion care and green care approaches that support wellbeing, connection, and quality of life across aging services, home care, and community settings.
Develop practical ways to bring the nature experience into everyday life with people of all ages, using the science of awe and nature connectedness to strengthen relationships with place, self, and others.
Explore the emerging field of Eco Gerontology and its role in enhancing age-friendly and livability frameworks.
Engage in creative, person-centered outdoor practices that foster Reciprocal-Shared Care, supporting individual and community wellbeing.
Green Social Prescribing is gaining momentum globally.
Care Outdoors will uniquely position you to lead the charge in nature-connected programs and experiences for All Ages.
Join us in pioneering science-based, nature-inspired care!
Be equipped to foster purpose, joy, connectedness, and reduce isolation for those under your care while preventing care burnout for your dedicated team.
Each week, you will engage with video content, lectures, and interactive discussions facilitated through a user-friendly online platform.
This online component allows flexibility and accessibility, enabling you to access course materials and engage in discussions conveniently.
In addition to the online sessions, you will have the opportunity to experience the approaches firsthand through experiential learning activities.
Experiential learning enables you to apply the concepts learned online in a real-world setting, Outdoors.
LIVE LEARN GROW
The Care Outdoors Program is designed with flexibility in mind, allowing participants to complete the modules at their own pace. While the course takes a minimum of five weeks, you can engage with the material at any time that suits your schedule. The asynchronous learning approach ensures you can balance your professional and personal commitments while gaining valuable skills and knowledge. Each module is designed to be digested in small bites, with at least two hours of dedication per week ideally recommended for practice and reflection.
Experiential learning is vital because it shifts learning from passive consumption of information to active engagement with the material. By directly experiencing the content through practice and reflection, participants gain the benefits of growing nature connectedness, develop a deeper understanding, and enhance their ability to internalize and apply what they've learned – thus nurturing the Art of Care Outdoors as a leader. This hands-on approach fosters a somatic connection, increasing the likelihood of retaining knowledge and skills over the long term.
As you prepare for this educational adventure, consider dedicating specific days and times to learning. This asynchronous online learning program allows you to view course materials and complete experiential learning practices each week at your convenience. I encourage you to designate a quiet area in your home as your indoor learning space, preferably with a window view, where you'll engage with the online learning content. Additionally, consider outdoor spaces you currently have access to that can serve as outdoor learning spaces at home and in your community, which will be utilized for course practices.
The sky's the limit! A play therapist recently shared she is now the project director for a grant-funded, dementia-friendly sensory garden at a community park. Another Care Outdoors Leader, previously working with clients in a memory care community, now offers meaningful engagement with nature in their outdoor spaces. A retired participant found that Care Outdoors enriched her volunteer work at an accessible nature retreat for people living with disabilities. An organizational cohort is seeking a partnership with a local farm to offer green care farm programs. Participants utilize this certification in various impactful ways, integrating green care values and practices into their professional roles in mental healthcare, child, youth, elder care, and community services.
NCCAP is an accredited organization, and other professional organizations may also approve this course.
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