The Eden Alternative is an elder centred care philosophy. Through Eden we positively support residents to actively combat loneliness, helplessness and boredom.
Alive and well throughout our rest homes, the Eden Alternative Philosophy is based on ten core principles that help create living environments that nurture and celebrate companionship, spontaneity, enjoyment, choice, meaningful activity and a balance between the giving and receiving of care.
Eden is a transforming way of being. The Eden Principles are respected throughout the PSSC community, from our Board, Senior Management team, staff and volunteers to most importantly, the residents who share their homes with us. Resident-centred decision making and involvement is in evidence everywhere, from small changes to significant initiatives. Benefits for all are rewarding, often unexpected and most often, subtle.
Wander around our rest homes and you will be greeted by not only residents and staff, but families, children, volunteers, cats and dogs. A core Eden belief is that life revolves around close and continuing contact with plants, animals, and children, with these relationships providing young and old alike with a pathway to a life worth living.
Feel “at home” and part of our family as you discover residents baking, gardening, planning outings or working together on projects, see artwork on display and crafts or handiwork in everyday use. At Margaret Wilson, Wallingford or the Croft, you’ll experience environments where giving is valued as much as receiving, loving companionship is understood to be the antidote to loneliness and meaningful activity is known to be essential to human health.
Through Eden, we sow the seeds for change and are privileged to nurture a garden of rewards. Creating an Elder-centered community is a never-ending process – we invite you and your family to share the journey with us.
The 10 Eden Alternative® Principles
- The three plagues of loneliness, helplessness and boredom account for the bulk of suffering among our Elders.
- An Elder-centred community commits to creating a human habitat where life revolves around close and continuing contact with plants, animals and children. It is these relationships that provide the young and old alike with a pathway to a life worth living.
- Loving companionship is the antidote to loneliness. Elders deserve easy access to human and animal companionship.
- An Elder-centred community creates opportunity to give as well as receive care. This is the antidote to helplessness.
- An Elder-centred community imbues daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating an environment in which unexpected and unpredictable interactions and happenings can take place. This is the antidote to boredom.
- Meaningless activity corrodes the human spirit. The opportunity to do things that we find meaningful is essential to human health.
- Medical treatment should be the servant of genuine human caring, never its master.
- An Elder-centred community honours its Elders by de-emphasising top-down bureaucratic authority, seeking instead to place the maximum possible decision-making authority into the hands of the Elders or into the hands of those closest to them.
- Creating an Elder-centred community is a never-ending process. Human growth must never be separated from human life.
- Wise leadership is the lifeblood of any struggle against the three plagues. For it, there can be no substitute.
To learn more about the Eden Alternative talk to any of our staff or visit www.edeninoznz.com.au
Eden Newsletter
Our half yearly Eden Newsletter contains wonderful stories from our Enliven Aged Care Services including our Rest Homes. To find out what our residents have been up to check out the latest edition of the Eden Newsletter.