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Health challenges create a fork in the road

Reference: FCC



The following fictional case study was created by BDO.

Connor had always been a physical force of nature. Athletic and strong, he excelled in sports in high school and played hockey in university. He took over the family dairy farm after finishing his degree and relished the physical aspects of the job – milking cows, maintaining equipment and field work. He liked to push himself and took great gratification in doing as much as he could on his own.

A one-man operation


His wife Carmen was an interior designer and wasn’t actively involved in the farm operation, so when extra help was needed, Connor would find hourly part-time helpers to get over the hump. It was a super-efficient, one-man operation and Connor liked it that way.

With no children and nearing his late fourties, Connor had found the sweet spot in cow numbers and acres, so retirement wasn’t something he thought about. He wanted to farm for as long as he could physically manage it. He fully expected to have another 20 years to farm in this way.

The onset of health issues


His back issues started with low-grade aches and pains, but over a period of about 18 months, the pain and sciatica symptoms became increasingly problematic. Over-the-counter pain medication and exercises helped a bit, but the problem got worse, and Connor was struggling to manage his daily workload.

A specialist confirmed that surgery was the only solution. With part-time help doing the chores and the land rented out for one year, Connor was sure he’d be back to normal after corrective surgery. It didn’t turn out that way, even though he pushed himself to return to his normal activities as quickly as possible.

Unwelcome changes


After six months of post-op physio with little improvement, a second, more invasive surgery was scheduled. This resulted in less pain but reduced mobility and strength. Ultimately, Connor’s doctors advised that it wasn’t realistic to expect a full recovery. He needed to make significant changes to his daily work and lifestyle.

Connor was devastated. He could see no positive way forward, and for a few months, he was in denial about the prognosis and became very negative in his outlook. He talked about selling the dairy, although he had no idea what life would look like for him without it.

Adapting to a new normal


Carmen eventually convinced him to seek counselling, where he learned that many injured or health-challenged farmers find ways to keep farming. It took some time, but eventually, Connor began to see that there was more to his love of farming than the physical side. He could still drive, and his mobility was good enough to go to the barn and monitor the cows and check on crops. He didn’t like it, but he accepted it.

Transitioning to a team approach


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