Eden Alternative

The Eden Alternative is the largest international culture change movement in long term care. The core concept of The Eden Alternative is strikingly simple: to transform sterile medical institutions into communities where Elders live and thrive.

The Eden Alternative was founded by William Thomas, MD, an emergency room doctor turned nursing home medical director. As the Medical Director of a nursing home Dr. Thomas came to understand that the traditional institutional setting fell short in providing an environment in which Elders could experience vibrant living. Rather, traditional long term care bred the institutional plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. These are plagues of the human spirit and generally go untreated in today’s nursing homes.

The solution to an institutional environment is to create a Human Habitat, where life revolves not around medications and treatment, but rather life revolves around meaningful relationships, nurturing care, and opportunities for connection with others. A nursing home does not have to be a facility for the frail and elderly. It can be a warm, caring community in which those who live and work their experience abundant relationships and community.

For more information on the Eden Alternative go to www.edenalt.org.