 The Eden Alternative is a not-for-profit organization that is changing the way we think about and care for our Elders. Based on the core belief that aging should be a continued stage of development and growth, rather than a period of decline, The Eden Alternative is seeking to remake the experience of aging around the world. The bulk of our work to date has been in de-institutionalizing the culture and environment of today’s nursing homes and other long term care facilities.The Eden Alternative shows how companionship, the opportunity to give meaningful care to other living things, and the variety and spontaneity that mark an enlivened environment can succeed where pills and therapies often fail. Places that have adopted the Eden Alterative typically are filled with plants, animals and are regularly visited by children. The Eden Alternative is also about changing the culture of long-term care organizations. The departmentalized, task-orientation of the current institutional model has created a culture that is characterized by pessimism, cynicism and stinginess. By moving away from the top-down bureaucratic approach to management and moving decision making closer to the Elders, Edenizing organizations are helping to support a meaningful life for their Elders. Studies show that implementation of The Eden Alternative is a powerful tool for improving quality of life and quality of care for those living in nursing homes. Also, in homes that have adopted Eden as an organizational-wide philosophy, there is often improved staff satisfaction and retention and significant decreases in the overuse of medications and restraints. Most importantly, Elders, supported by their caregivers, can once again direct their own daily lives. |
