the eden alternativeAll of The Courtyards Communities are based on an important movement in elder care called The Eden Alternative. This humanistic philosophy was started in 1991 by a geriatric physician who sought to end the three plaques of aging; Loneliness, Helplessness, and Boredom. Where Elders live must be habitats for human beings, not sterile medical institutions. All of our administrators and activity directors at The Courtyards are Eden Certified Associates. That means they have taken a 3 day, 24 hour course on the Eden Alternative.
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 long-term care facilities 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. Most importantly, Elders, supported by their caregivers, can once again direct their own daily lives. |
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