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Permaculture and occupational therapy –a symbiotic relationship? 21st November 2014 Genevieve Smyth Introduction • What is permaculture? • Permaculture ethics and principles • Permaculture view of health, wellbeing and health systems • Links between permaculture and OT Thanks to …. Permaculture and People –caring and designing for ourselves, each other and the planet by Looby Macnamara (2012) www.permaculture.org.uk What is permaculture? • Developed in 1970s in Australia –central aim to reduce our ecological impact • Mostly associated with design of gardens, small holdings, farms, eco buildings • Uses nature as a guide, thinks holistically • Is a design system that is solution based • Based on co-operation and connection • Seeks to produce best yield (abundance) for minimum effort (Macnamara 2012) Permaculture provides… • • • • • Ethics at its core Principles to guide us Techniques to assist us Methodological steps for design process Action plans (Macnamara 2012) Permaculture ethics • Earthcare – are we caring for the earth and preserving biodiversity? • Peoplecare – are we caring for ourselves/others and meeting our needs in sustainable ways? • Fairshares – equality, justice and abundance, now and for future generations (Macnamara 2012) 12 Permaculture principles applied to people care Why are we meeting the client now as OTs? Is there a change in occupational need? 1. Creatively use and respond to change – How can you find the gifts that change brings? (Macnamara 2012) Permaculture principles applied to people care How does the client spend their time in activity/occupation? 2. Observe and interact –what are your patterns, habits, routines? 3. Catch and store energy –what activities/occupations give you energy and best suit your energy levels? (Macnamara 2012) Permaculture principles applied to people care Where does the client want to go? What are the client’s occupational goals? 4. Obtain a yield – do you obtain harvests from your activities/occupations –internal/external rewards? 5. Use the edges and marginal – are you aware of your own boundaries where you can gently stretch into the new? 6. Self regulation and feedback – where do you get feedback from for self management? (Macnamara 2012) Permaculture principles applied to people care What are the client’s occupational strengths and assets? 7. Integrate rather than segregate – how can you identify everyone’s skills to increase your yield? 8. Design from pattern to the details –how can you use patterns of success from others and translate to solve problems? (Macmamara 2012) Permaculture principles applied to people care What is your OT recommended redesign? 9. Use renewable resources and services –how can you meet occupational needs with renewable resources and freely exchange knowledge and skills? 10. Produce no waste – how can you reduce, reuse, recycle, repair, re-educate, re-gift, replenish, rethink. What are you currently wasting? 11. Small, slow solutions –can you use small, bite size steps and long term thinking? 12. Use and value diversity – how can you create diverse solutions, diversity of role and occupation? (Macnamara 2012) Permaculture, health and wellbeing A public health perspective that considers physical, emotional, mind and spirit health by: • Incorporating physical exercise into daily life • Focus on nutrition, growing, preparing and cooking healthy food • Allowing regular time for relaxing activities and good quality sleep • Looking after emotional health by dealing with anger, fear, worry and guilt • Cultivating confidence, self esteem and trust (Macmanara 2012) Permaculture and healthcare systems • Feedback systems in healthcare currently increase and reward illness rather than decrease illness -this has created an illness industry. • Goal of healthcare needs to shift from treating illness to maintaining health • Must broaden our understanding to include all aspects of life that impact on our health • Spirals of personal erosion need to be changed to spirals of health by self responsibility, acting on feedback about health, dealing with problems sooner (Macmamara 2012) I do therefore I evolve… The power of doing for sustainable human evolution “The meaning of doing at this monumental time in human history is concerned with engaging in activities that bring about a sustainable focus for living” Mick Collins 2014, Permaculture Magazine Summary • What is permaculture • Can the permaculture principles form a symbiotic relationship with occupational therapy? • Need to expand the people care aspects of permaculture Genevieve Smyth Professional Advisor -Mental Health and Learning Disabilities [email protected] 0207 450 5220