“I don’t want to be put into a nursing home.”
For many people nursing homes have a bad reputation. For many nursing homes, that reputation is deserved. So when confronted with the need to find a nursing home for someone you love, you may justifiably be a little anxious over the search.
In the age of the Internet and having information at your fingertips, it’s easy to feel a little let down by the tools available. For instance, we posted recently on Medicare’s updated Nursing Home Compare Site, but even that we had to describe it merely as ‘a place to start’. Medicare’s site is only adequate at providing some of the information you’ll need in making a choice.
While this inadequacy of online resources for finding places to visit continues to disappoint, we were heartened to learn about Eden Alternative. Named after, “the very first place where humans were supposed to live”, Eden Alternative is a not-for-profit organization focused on, “remaking the experience of aging and disability”. Eden was founded by Dr. William Thomas, a doctor who specializes in geriatric medicine and elder care. Thomas clearly saw what was wrong with the existing nursing homes and the loneliness, helplessness and boredom that they imposed on their residents and chose to do something about it.
I struggled for some time over how to describe Eden Alternative. At one level, it has to do with a philosophy about how we should live our lives, including when we’re in need of nursing care. At another level, it has to do with introducing plants, animals and children into nursing homes. They also provide, “education and resources for improving quality of life for our Elders and for recapturing a meaningful work life for their Caregivers.” I think that last one is particularly important. While people are certainly motivated by their compensation, it’s been proven over and over that a satisfaction in the work that you do is a far greater motivator.
If I had to summarize Eden Alternative, I’d steal two phrases, “A life worth living” and “institutions control, habitats nurture”. There’s more to it than I can describe in one post, so please take some time and check out their site: Eden Alternative.
Here are some additional links you’ll find valuable:
- A Nursing Home Alternative – NewsHour with Jim Lehrer with transcript and video
- ChangingAging.org – Dr. Bill Thomas’ blog
- & Thou Shalt Honor – The Eden Alternative – PBS
- Eden Registry – To find an Eden registered home, mentor, Eden Educator in your state
And if this is something you’d like to find in a nursing home, then donate to Eden.
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