Overheard at a Book Buddies program: "You're five? I'm ninety, but I don't feel ninety when I'm with you!"
What is the Eden Philosophy?
"In a culture that typically views aging as a period of decline, the Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that no matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow. Building on this new paradigm, it affirms that care is not a one-way street, but rather a collaborative partnership. All caregivers and care receivers are described as “care partners,” each an active participant in the balance of giving and receiving. Together, care partner teams strive to enhance well-being by eliminating the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom.
Focused on changing the culture of care since the early 1990’s, this approach to person-directed care initially came to life in nursing homes and has since expanded its reach to all care settings, including home care and residential care for people living with different abilities. The Eden Alternative firmly believes that culture change unfolds one relationship at a time, and that deep change can only take root when the entire continuum of care is involved. Through education, consultation, and outreach, it currently offers three applications of its principles and practices to support the unique needs of various living environments, ranging from the nursing home to the neighborhood street."
-www.edenalt.org
Focused on changing the culture of care since the early 1990’s, this approach to person-directed care initially came to life in nursing homes and has since expanded its reach to all care settings, including home care and residential care for people living with different abilities. The Eden Alternative firmly believes that culture change unfolds one relationship at a time, and that deep change can only take root when the entire continuum of care is involved. Through education, consultation, and outreach, it currently offers three applications of its principles and practices to support the unique needs of various living environments, ranging from the nursing home to the neighborhood street."
-www.edenalt.org
How do we enact the Eden Philosophy?
Children enrolled in the Child Development Center at Parker visit with the residents (or "Grandmas and Grandpas") on a weekly basis.
Older babies and toddlers go on walks throughout the week to visit. Children of this age may listen to music, hear stories, or blow bubbles with the residents.
Nursery and preschool students visit different areas of Parker weekly. Activities include arts and crafts, singalongs, story time led by a resident (who is often a veteran teacher or librarian!), learning activities (such as "Little Passports," in which children and "Grandmas and Grandpas" learn together about a country each month, completing art projects and learning factoids about the world around them).
One of our most successful programs has been our unique "Book Buddies" program, in which Pre-K students are paired up bi-monthly with the same resident over the course of the year, and as a team, they read and learn to read one-on-one. The relationships built in this program have become true friendships.
Older babies and toddlers go on walks throughout the week to visit. Children of this age may listen to music, hear stories, or blow bubbles with the residents.
Nursery and preschool students visit different areas of Parker weekly. Activities include arts and crafts, singalongs, story time led by a resident (who is often a veteran teacher or librarian!), learning activities (such as "Little Passports," in which children and "Grandmas and Grandpas" learn together about a country each month, completing art projects and learning factoids about the world around them).
One of our most successful programs has been our unique "Book Buddies" program, in which Pre-K students are paired up bi-monthly with the same resident over the course of the year, and as a team, they read and learn to read one-on-one. The relationships built in this program have become true friendships.
Why the Eden Philosophy?
The interactions between our young students and the residents of the Francis E. Parker Memorial Home benefit the residents and students in equal measure. Resident benefits are well-documented in Eden Philosophy literature and within the Parker Home's own informational packets.
Benefits for children include:
Benefits for children include:
- Acceptance of disabilities
- Warm acceptance of older adults
- Understanding of the normal aging process without fear or trepidation
- Learning about history from a first-hand source (We often hear whispers- did you know there were no cell phones when Ms. Cindy was a little girl?!)
- A unique early start to education