A growing number of long-term care providers like Eben Ezer, have established more homelike environments for neighbors by implementing a relationship-centered approach to care that better addresses neighbor’s needs and quality of life. The Eden Alternative is a philosophy of care to improve that quality of life for our neighbors. At Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center, we are dedicated to empower others to create their person-directed environments and to eliminate the plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom.
We are dedicated to helping our neighbors become as independent as possible and to grow in their environment. The core concept of the Eden Alternative is seeing the environments as habitats for human beings rather than facilities for the frail and elderly. The Eden philosophy supports person-directed care, focusing on what we can do, not on what we can’t.
The support and involvement of family members is a core component of the relationship-centered approach; the success of this approach is contingent on collaboration among family, the Eben Ezer team, and neighbors.
The Domains of Well-Being are 7 fundamental aspects of personhood that are the core of the Eden framework. They are the outcomes care professionals achieve when they put the Ten Principles of The Eden Alternative into action. At Eben Ezer, we are developing a culture that recognizes our neighbors are not just physical bodies that need fixing. They are whole human beings and they can and should help direct their own care.
The Eden Alternative Domains of Well-Being:
Well –being is a human right.
IDENTITY – being well-known, having personhood, individuality, having a history
GROWTH – development, enrichment, expanding, evolving
AUTONOMY – liberty, self-determination, choice, freedom
SECURITY – freedom from doubt, anxiety, or fear, safety, privacy, dignity, respect
CONNECTEDNESS – belonging, engaged, involved, connected to time, place, and nature
MEANING – significance, heart, hope, value, purpose, sacredness
JOY – happiness, pleasure, delight, contentment, enjoyment
