Foundational in all of our caregiving ‘best practices’ is the appreciation and respect for the life-giving aspects of nature. Growing Eden is our way of expressing the inclusion of the Eden Alternative in our communities, a template of values which honors the “elders in our midst” as the key reason for our efforts, and the central voices in the shaping of our community life. The core intention is to replace institutional and corporate models, which emphasize efficiency and predictability, with more home-like environments of lively activity, spontaneity, and purposeful interaction.
In the Eden system, loneliness, helplessness, and boredom are believed to be the three plagues of aging which cause more suffering than most illnesses. Loving companionship, as well as close and continuing contact with plants, animals, and children, are the antidotes to this suffering. Eden environments are intentionally rich with life – plant, animal, and human. The Eden Alternative is a “culture” that requires a constant nurturance of spirited support, and it holds meaningful activities as essential to happiness and well-being.
2. An Elder-centered community commits to creating a Human Habitat where life revolves around close and continuous contact with plants, animals, and children. It is these relationships that provide the young and old alike with a pathway towards a life worth living.
4. An Elder-centered community creates an opportunity to give as well as receive care. This is the antidote to helplessness.
5. An Elder-centered community imbues daily life with variety and spontaneity by creating an environment in which unexpected and unpredictable happenings and interactions can take place. This is the antidote to boredom.
8. An Elder-centered community honors its Elders by de-emphasizing top-down bureaucratic authority, seeking instead to place the maximum decision-making authority into the hands of the Elders or those closest to them.
9. Creating an Elder-centered community is a never ending process. Human growth should never be separated from human life.