Feel Good Friday - Hen Power Project

On this Feel Good Friday we're going to try and stay above the fray and tell you about a group in based in the UK called the Hen Power Project, also known as the Hensioners.

Run by Equal Arts since 2011, the Hen Power Project engages older people in "arts activities and hen-keeping to promote health and wellbeing and reduce loneliness."

The Hen Power Project, also known as Hensioners (pensioners + hens, of course) is now active in more than 40 care homes throughout Australia and has the following goals:

• Prevents loneliness, isolation and promotes elderly health and well-being.
• Provides seniors with socialization by meeting others while care taking their hens.
• Encourage seniors to be creative by designing coops and purchasing hen breeds.
• Create intergenerational exchanges by visiting schools and school children.
• Help lift the spirits of other seniors by visiting care homes with their hens.
• Encourage elderly to keep active and maintain fitness levels.

This Guardian article provides the origin story of Hen Power and shares some studies that show caring for hens has reduced the need for antipsychotic medication in the care homes with resident hens. If you've got 7 minutes to spare, and want to see adorable elders with adorable chickens, you can watch this video that shows the impact caring for hens has on the people in these residential communities.

If you like what you see, you can support the work of the Hen Power Project with a donation and spread the social media love by liking their Facebook Page and following them on Twitter@HenPowerProject.