The unfortunate reality of being a senior is that it is harder to get around. Getting outdoors and working with your hands just becomes harder and harder.

For Montanans especially, working the earth — the longing to get outside and till the soil — runs in the blood.

Thanks to Maarten Fischer, the activity director at A-Plus Health Care, along with the staff and residents of Lighthouse Christian Home, seniors are bused out north of Somers, where they can work with animals, the vegetation growing there and the dozen developmentally disabled residents who call the farm home.

Bertha Korolog, a native Montanan in her 90s, tries to go to the farm every Thursday with her husband, Harry.

“It’s relaxing,” she said. “The people are so friendly it makes you feel good to come here. I love seeing the animals in their natural state.”

The farm has several dozen chickens, a small herd of cows and a few pigs for residents to tend to. 

On a recent day, the seniors and residents planned to move cattle from the south to the north pasture, but heavy rain made the Lighthouse staff reconsider the plan.

Shirley Willis, executive director of the home, said the cows would wait, but the residents hardly can for senior day.

“It’s our favorite time of the week,” she said. “Individuals with disabilities have so much energy and attention to give, and seniors have such wisdom. They sit down with the seniors who have stories to tell, and it just creates a whole new interest.”

Stuck inside due to rain, some of the seniors helped in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and rhubarb for lunch. Others played with the residents and the adorable Shetland sheepdog puppies.

While Bertha Korolog talked about how much the animals relaxed her, her husband proved it by cooing affectionately to a fussy puppy in his arms. Staff said Harry Korolog always calls before he and his wife come to the farm to make sure the puppies will be there.

Fischer brought the idea of care farms from his native Netherlands. The Dutch have an active approach to senior care, including getting seniors out of nursing facilities and allowing them to get exercise. Fischer said the benefits were obvious and immediate.

“All of these seniors are home-bound,” he said. “Taking them to the farm is just a unique way of taking them out of the home.”

Fischer is working with the Agency on Aging to bring the seniors to farms.

Doing so serves multiple purposes.The seniors have something to look forward to and an opportunity to get out of their homes or facilities. Taking seniors to farms also offers a mixing of two generations of people, which is beneficial for both relatively secluded groups.

Taking seniors to farms also allows the farm to get real work done, and everyone has a hand in producing the food.

Lisa Sheppard, the director of the Area IX Agency on Aging, is an advocate for the program expanding.

“It increases quality of life,” she said. “It’s really in its preliminary stage that should be recreated all over the state.”

Lighthouse Christian Home isn’t always bustling, but with the four seniors that come on Thursdays and the litter of stubby-legged puppies, it’s quickly becoming the defining social event for the farm.

Davey Gonzales, a resident at the farm, was shy when asked about senior day.

“I like visiting with them,” the California native said. “Because I see different ones every day.”

Interested seniors can call the Agency on Aging at 758-5730.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.