THE EDEN ALTERNATIVE: A NEW CULTURE OF CARE There is a worldwide movement that is changing the culture of the way we view and deliver care to our older people in nursing and residential homes. The holistic approach of the Eden Alternative is a major driver of this movement – and is becoming the philosophy of choice for visionary organisations providing care in the UK. Everyone providing care aims to give their residents the best quality of life. The strategies to do this are, however, often piecemeal and heavily overshadowed by the ‘medical model’ approach and the regulatory environment. Eden gives us an alternative social or humanistic approach, taken from the premise that growing old is not an illness but a natural phenomenon that comes to us all. Frailty, accompanied by associated illness may be present in old age, but the need for a continued normal life should be paramount, not the treatment. The general public’s expectations of life in a residential home are low, many seeing it as a last resort – a place to die. It is no wonder that older people prefer to remain in their own homes, even though they may be lonely, fearful for their own safety and struggling financially. The three plagues of care home residence The Eden Alternative, the brainchild of Dr. William Thomas, who worked as a medical director in a New York nursing home, teaches us that things can be different. He identified three plagues, loneliness, helplessness and boredom – as found in so many of our residential and nursing homes and for which there are no medical treatments! These three plagues rob residents of the thing most of us take for granted – a life worth living. The Eden Alternative addresses these problems, primarily by introducing the concept of a care home as a human habitat, rather than an institution. Secondly, Eden introduces a fundamental shift in the approach to care by all those delivering and receiving care. Thirdly, it gives 'Ten Principles' around which the philosophy is built. The Eden Alternative is non-prescriptive and can be adopted  and tailored to meet the needs of each home – particularly those striving to deliver person-centred care The Eden Alternative principles identify the antidotes to loneliness, helplessness and boredom. Loneliness is combated by companionship, found in close and meaningful relationships. The opportunity to give as well as receive care is the antidote to helplessness and the introduction of variety and spontaneity into the daily life of residents reduces the risk of boredom. Keys to successful implementation Education and a commitment by all staff of a care home to the principles of the Eden Alternative are the keys to a successful implementation. Since September 2006 seventy five Eden Associates have been trained and are pioneering the philosophy in their own organisations or homes.  Examples of Eden in action can be found in the four homes managed by The Royal Borough of Kingston (fiona.connolly@rbk.kingston.gov.uk) and Belong and Sherwood House, managed by CLS (tracy.paine@belong.org.uk). For further information on how you can embark on the Eden journey in your home, or to learn more about the benefits, go to our website: www.eden-alternative.co.uk with links to other international sites.   Or contact the Eden Alternative Regional Coordinator for the UK and Ireland, June Burgess on: 01225 309 238