Eden Alternative is a non-profit enterprise recognized internationally. It was founded by Dr. Bill Thomas and Jude Thomas in 1992. It first started as a non-profit grant-funded project in a single nursing home. The organization function irrespective of the traditional hierarchical models of care. Since 1992, It has thrived rapidly because of its unique philosophy, goals, & principles.
Edens’ key message is simple: They want their residents to feel happy, healthy, and fulfilled. They aim to provide elders home-like environment sufficed with care, empathy, and passion. They want to bring attention to providing improved quality of life in community homes.
What is Eden’s alternative model of care?
William H believed that: Humans need a habitat in which it thrives. But the existing models of nursing care centers provide a wither habitat. William recommended using the resident-directed model to induce a thriving habitat. In 1994, Eden home started operating according to this Eden Alternative model of care. It was a challenging cultural shift, people were denying it at first but the results of implementing the model were prosperous.
According to this model, in Eden homes, both residents and staff should take part in devising routine activities, work schedules, and dietary plans. Residents’ choices must be prioritized over everything. There is even the possibility of scheduling unexpected activities (like discos in dining rooms, spa services at home, etc) just because the residents love it.
Eden’s alternative health care model also includes person-centered approaches that value individuality, privacy, choices, respect, dignity, rights, and independence. They direct staff to use use the following person-centered care principles:
- Respecting people’s individuality.
- Recognizing their unique attributes and allowing them to live as they are.
- Treating people with respect and maintaining their dignity.
- Offering coordinated care & support
What is Eden’s Alternative philosophy of care?
Eden’s philosophy of care was devised by Dr.William H. He proposes the idea of providing resident-directed care that will help us eliminate the ‘three plagues’ of aging, which are:
- Loneliness
- Helplessness
- Boredom
The Eden alternative philosophy takes a modern long-term care approach. It has ascribed ten principles to lessen these agonies.
What are the principles of Eden’s alternative?
Eden’s alternative healthcare model has established ten principles. Community home management is advised to construct their policies while following these listed principles.
- Loneliness, helplessness, and boredom are destructive to human health. Staff members are advised to interact with residents, support them in their doings and prioritize their choices.
- The second principle of Eden’s alternative is providing residents with a humane habitat. An environment where they are able to interact with plants, kids, and pets continuously.
- Staff members should communicate better and share successful interventions, increased companionship is an antidote to loneliness.
- Build collaborating environment and share responsibilities with residents. Purpose helps us fight helplessness.
- Scheduling fun events, and throwing unexpected celebrations will add variety and spontaneity. Such events will work as an antidote to boredom.
- Activities like jigsaw puzzles, 100 meters, jump up, etc, are tiring. Most of them seem meaningless to elders. Give them an opportunity to find activities for themselves, they will be more relieved.
- Making them swallow medicine routinely isn’t care. Show genuine care and warmth.
- Involve residents in decision-making.
- Reflect the idea that growing old never means they should become isolated. Growing old is a process, adapt accordingly, and enjoy as much as you can.
- Lead wisely, and implement a zero-tolerance policy against vertical violence. Show flexibility, staff should be friends with residents.
What are the Eden alternative domains of well being:
Well-being is subjected to the holistic understanding of human needs and capacities. Humans like appreciation, recognization, and relaxation.
The Eden alternative has induced these domains of well-being in their healthcare model. The domains are the measure of people’s perceptions of themselves. There are eight domains included in Eden’s alternative approach:
- Identity means being well aware of your individuality, wholeness, and personhood. A resident’s identity is constructed by his surroundings. Living in a place with no recognition will obscure one’s identity.
- Growth is your development & evolvement in life. The Eden model should provide residents with opportunities to grow, learn and develop in their communities.
- Autonomy is freedom of choice. Eden should provide residents with opportunities to select for themselves.
- Security means feeling safe, certain, and assured. Eden homes should provide an environment where residents can live firmly. With no fear of being judged based-on individuality and choice.
- Connectedness refers to the feeling of belonging and involvement. The Edens’ environment should emphasize promoting connectedness among residents, their partners, and staff members.
- Meaning points towards finding hope & purpose, and acknowledging your values. Edens’s alternative model should develop a more meaningful insight into a person.
- Joy means happiness, contentment, and pleasure. The model implementation should make residents happier.
What are the Benefits of implementing Eden’s alternative healthcare model?
The Eden alternative model was a shift from the traditional nursing home care model to a modern person-centered care model. The new model was wearying, the standard policies were difficult to implement, and the general required time is three years.
The nursing homes that have been functioning based-on Eden alternative healthcare models have reported the following benefits:
- A lower level of boredom and feeling of helplessness among residents.
- A Decrease in behavioral incidents.
- Deduction in the usage of mood-altering drugs.
- Reduced infection rates among residences.
- Fewer complaints about the quality of care.
- Higher level of personal satisfaction among residents.
- A notable increase in staff retention rates
What are the challenges associated with implementing Eden Alternative?
Since 1992, the model has been recognized in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. Despite being an improved form of healthcare model, it comes with a number of challenges. It requires a whole-new management change in nursing home functioning. Most of its policies are internationally standardized and take years to implement.
The Eden alternative is a modern approach to improving the quality of life in nursing homes. William H devised the philosophy for this model. The main idea was to implement a resident-centered/person-centered model in nursing homes. The William philosophy of care have ascribed ten principles to follow along with seven domains of well-being. The new approach has proven beneficial. The overall environment of nursing homes has improved.
Conclusively, Eden’s alternative model is a humane healthcare model offering flexibility to nursing homes. They want to make residents’ lives constructive and passable. They aim to develop a home-like environment in community centers, where staff and patients should behave like a family. This article helps the reader to get a good knowledge about the Eden alternative.
