ISHS Acta Horticulturae 643: International Conference on Urban Horticulture
EDEN ALTERNATIVE: THE EXPERIENCE OF RESIDENTS IN AN "EDENIZED" NURSING HOME |
| Authors: | E. Kiyota, J. Oliver Selfridge |
| Keywords: | elderly, culture change, quality of life, long term care, therapeutic garden, healing environment |
| Abstract:
The Eden Alternative was developed by William Thomas and Judy Meyers-Thomas in 1991 in order to improve the quality of life in nursing homes. The Eden philosophy identified feelings of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom as three serious problems in long term care. The philosophy advocates creating a “human habitat” filled with companionship, opportunities to give and receive care along with de-emphasis of medical treatment. The philosophy of The Eden Alternative has three main themes: 1. Changing the culture of the organization, 2. Creating a human habitat with living things, 3. Cultivating spontaneity in daily life and work. The present study explores the influence of an “Edenized” environment on the feeling of “being at home” for residents. In this paper, residents’ experiences with plants were described and analyzed. In addition, suggestions are made for creating supportive environment for The Eden Alternative. A positive influence on the people’s everyday life in the nursing home was observed. Both residents and staff members seemed to enjoy living with animals, plants, and children in the nursing home environment. These living things seemed to help making the nursing home a lively environment. They also attracted visitors and made their visit a pleasurable experience, especially for children. The “Edenizing” process created a sense of belonging and ownership to this place from both residents and staff members. The environment with living things also cultivated the residents’ sense of relatedness with the outside world. | |
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