CROSSVILLE —
Have you ever tried to sit back and look at how elders today are treated compared to 75 years ago? When my grandparents were young, they were surrounded by their elders. Many of the elders were living in the same home with them or next door. Family farms and businesses sometimes had as many as three generations working together. Meals were prepared by multi-generations as the families lived together and worked together.
Today, life is so different. Life is so fast paced. Families are struggling financially to make ends meet. Society encourages parents to keep their children constantly involved in activities outside of school. Sometimes those same parents are also struggling to help their own parents with issues. Often families live across the country from one another and only see each other once a year at the holidays. Needless to say, everyone lives under a large amount of stress today.
Imagine, you are 85 years old and living in a nursing home today. Your children and grandchildren live hundreds of miles away and your friends are all elderly and can barely care for themselves or are in the same shape you are. The nursing home facility itself is nice, but you are living in a tiny room with a complete stranger. Only a curtain separates you from the person in the bed next to you. There are always bells ringing and things buzzing. The staff is rushing up and down the hall constantly, pushing medicine carts and laundry carts. You can hear a voice in the distance announcing when and where bingo will be played. Patients/residents in their wheelchairs are lined up outside the nursing station so they can see the excitement going on or so the nurses can watch them. You have never been away from home much and now you are living in a home with over 100 strangers. How would you feel if this were you?
In Tennessee and throughout the world, an idea is spreading. It is called the Eden Alternative. The principles were founded in 1991 by Dr. William Thomas, a Harvard-educated physician and board-certified geriatrician, and his wife, Judy. While working in a nursing home, tending to the medical needs of one of his patients, Dr. Thomas asked if there was anything else he could do for her. Her soft reply astounded him and changed his life forever.
“I’m so lonely,” she replied.
Since that time Dr. Thomas, his wife and thousands of others have worked diligently to eliminate the three plagues of elders: loneliness, helplessness and boredom. The mission of the Eden Alternative is to improve the well-being of elders and those who care for them by transforming the communities in which they live and work. It extends well past the walls of the nursing home and can be carried into other areas of the continuum of care to improve the quality of life of elders still living in their own homes and for those who care for them. To be successful in meeting these needs, culture change is required. There has to be a shift from the traditional model of care (medical) to a model where life is worth living.
When you arrive at an Eden Home, you will ring a doorbell. Someone will greet you at the door welcoming you into their home. Once you enter you will find a room filled with elders “living a life” without loneliness, helplessness or boredom. They are usually gathered around the hearth, laughing and talking or watching their favorite movie. Other elders may be sitting at the table doing a craft or playing a game. You can smell cookies being baked in the kitchen. From the living room, you can look out and see the garden and the porch with rocking chairs.
Many of the decisions made in the home are decided by the elders, including bedtimes, bath times, what they wear and what activities they want to do that day. Staff can be seen sitting with the elders during meals, sitting and talking with them on the sofa, just like in their own home. Each home has a staff that is unique to that home. The elders know their caregivers, and their families and the caregivers know the elder’s family. Children and pets are frequent visitors to the homes, or, in some cases, the home has its own pet that lives in there. The beautiful garden is where the elders can plant flowers or vegetables and they can go outside whenever they chose.
As in many nursing homes, elders can share rooms with other elders. The difference here is that they do so and still maintain their privacy. Elders maintain their privacy and dignity when staff knocks on their doors and asking permission before entering their room. In the homes, you will not see medication carts, laundry carts full of dirty laundry, loud call lights, etc. All of these things have been changed so that the environment is homelike. The focus is the elders, first and foremost. Many homes that follow the Eden philosophy are on the Eden Registry.
The Eden Alternative is an evolving process through the culture change that is required. Old habits can be hard to break, and Eden Homes have to be diligent in their focus to remember this is the elder’s home and they deserve the best.
To find out more about the Eden Alternative go to www.edenalt.org.
Lifestyles
Senior Health News: Exciting changes in senior care
- Lifestyles
-
-
Emerson art exhibit at the Shanks Center until June 29
Crossville has done it again! For those who haven't realized how this town is gaining a reputation for its cultural depth and talent, you better head to the Shanks Center for the Arts. At 140 N. Main St., there is now a special exhibit from area photographers. The smash hit, however, is a large selection of varied art work by Camilla Emerson.
-
127 Seniors welcome city mayor to meeting
On June 14, members gathered together at the 127 South Cumberland Senior Center to socialize with coffee, goodies and chit chat. They then played billiards, dominos and bingo, with Wendell Lester calling the numbers. The bingo prizes were furnished by Bob Folger, of State Farm Insurance.
-
Marriage licenses
Published June 19, 2013.
-
Wharton Association's annual book sale preparation under way
For the last six weeks, volunteers have been busy sorting through and categorizing the thousands of new and used books that have been donated to the annual Wharton Association Book Sale and hope to receive many more donations before the sale, which is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 13.
-
PLEASANT HILL RAMBLINGS: Town council honors school staff, students
Near to the closing of the school year, the Pleasant Hill Town Council honored outstanding students and staff from the Pleasant Hill Elementary School. Laney Barnwell, a student in Julie Mahaney’s third-grade class was selected for grades K-4. Brianna Kolhepp, a student in Brian Conatser’s homeroom class, was chosen for grades 5-8. Anita Turner has been teaching third grade for 22 years. Ann Webb has been part of the support staff at PHS for 36 years and retired at the end of school year. They were selected by PHS and honored by the town with certificates and gift cards. This summer all teachers are required to spend two or three days in Continuing Education courses in Core Education as part of their in-service training.
-
The arts are alive at Fair Park
If you have ever used your artistic skills in being creative, you know it just makes you feel good inside as you express yourself.
-
PLATEAU GARDENINGS: Beware of ticks, mosquitoes and chiggers, part 1
Before detailing reasons to plant or relocate woody plants later in the year, I want to first warn readers of a current danger from mosquito, tick and chigger bites. People, their pets and livestock are potential targets. Gardeners may encounter these pests in stands of weeds, tall grass, wildflowers or garden plants.
-
A Time 4 Paws celebrates anniversary
April 2013 marked the two-year anniversary of the opening of A Time 4 Paws Adoption Center. A Time 4 Paws (AT4P) is a no kill animal welfare organization operates the adoption center as an alternative to abandoning and/or destroying unwanted animals. With their programs they assist an average of more than 500 animal families per year.
-
Dukes of Hazzard star coming to town June 29
Sonny Shroyer, best known for playing Deputy Enos Strate on the hit TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard," will be appearing Saturday, June 29, at the Cumberland County Community Complex to meet fans and sign autographs. Appearing with him will be Hazzard Life, who will be bringing the famous 1969 Dodge Charger “The General Lee,” along with a Hazzard County police car, Daisy's Jeep and Cooter's tow truck.
-
AROUND THE TOWN: TN fans’ actions immature, unnecessary
Security was beefed up, hate mail received, and threatening phone calls vetted. The Athens (Tennessee) Chamber of Commerce has been embroiled in brouhaha after recruiting Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban to speak at its annual fundraising dinner earlier this week. Reports indicate the chamber has received lots of hate from some Tennessee fans as a result of Saban’s appearance.
- More Lifestyles Headlines
-
James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
Fmr. TWA Flight 800 Investigators Want New Probe
Raw: Heat, Spurs Back on Court Ahead of Game 7
Dolce and Gabbana Convicted of Tax Evasion
Paris, Prince Depositions Used in Jackson Trial
Coiffed Cattle Get Their Close-up
In Berlin, Obama Channels Cold War Activism
Police at Patriots Tight End's Home for 2nd Day
Fed Suggests Bond Purchases Could Slow
AP: DOJ Broke Own Rules Seizing Phone Records
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
