Bavaria’s first care farm brings seniors into farm life

Bavaria’s first care farm is nearly complete, with many residents already living alongside farm animals and taking part in daily chores. Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) reports that the Moorhof in Karlshuld is being presented by the Bavarian health ministry as a model for care.

Inge Zidek, 85, has lived at the farm since May. She regularly feeds the goats carrots and can visit or help with the farm’s chickens, horses, donkeys, sheep and rabbits. Family members can join in when they visit, and the farm’s cat and dog also come into the house or onto the terrace.

Residents are encouraged to take part

About 100 cattle graze in the fields behind the barn. The farm also runs activities for children and families. Owner Nadine Angermeier encourages residents, many of whom have dementia, to stay active by helping with tasks such as feeding chickens, hanging laundry and cooking.

The farm can house 23 people with care needs in two shared-living groups, one on each floor. Residents share a kitchen and living room, while individual rooms range from 16 to 20 square metres. Rent is between 750 and 900 euros a month, depending on the room size. Food and housekeeping services cost an additional 425 euros.

Residents must have an officially assessed care level to move in; most are at level three. A separate care fee is currently 1,900 euros a month, regardless of how much support an individual needs. The care service Family & Care provides round-the-clock support, with at least one care worker present in each group at all times. A housekeeper handles laundry and cooking until the afternoon.

A model for other farms

The Karlshuld project is the second care farm in Germany and the first in Bavaria. It was inspired by the country’s first such farm, established about 20 years ago in Marienrachdorf, Rhineland-Palatinate. Its founder, Guido Pusch, developed the concept after taking over his family’s farm when his grandmother needed care but did not want to leave home.

The renovation in Karlshuld has cost more than four million euros, including 1.4 million euros in funding from the Bavarian state. The project was delayed by financing problems and lengthy approval procedures. The outdoor facilities are expected to be finished and all rooms occupied by the end of the year. Four other care farms in Germany are close to opening, while 45 more projects are in the planning stage.