The Eden Alternative

Keeping the promise

T

he Eden Alternative was founder by Dr. William Thomas, a Harvard-educated physician, board-certified geriatrician and recognized leader in the field. In fact, many providers who teach a person-directed philosophy, their content has been shaped in part by the work of Dr. Thomas.

The core concept of the teachings of the Eden Alternative is strikingly simple. Dr. William Thomas, his wife Judy, the Eden home office staff, 50 Eden Educators, 60 mentors and more than 17,000 associates teach that where people live must be habitats for human beings, not sterile medical institutions. They are dedicated to eliminating the plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom that make life intolerable in most of today’s 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. The Eden Alternative philosophy has been implemented successfully in every state of the Union and in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Asia.

Studies show that implementation of teachings 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 improved staff satisfaction and retention and significant decreases in the overuse of medications and restraints. Most importantly, the residents, supported by their caregivers, can once again direct their own daily lives.

Eden’s experience in this field is based on continued learning: Eden remains current through its relationship with consultants in the field who focus on such topics as medication and dementia. For example, one of our trainers, Al Power is an internist and geriatrician who specialize in dementia and who written a book on dementia.

One of the core tenets of Eden’s teachings are based on the belief that as long as we are alive, we continue to grow. In order to grow, we need an environment that is conducive to growth – similar to a well tended garden. And we use the “garden” metaphor in order to teach. We teach caregivers how to care for people by seeing them in a different light, one in which they -- despite their cognitive/physical impairment -- are still ready and able to grow and give, given the right environment. We teach how to create and develop the environment.

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