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The
Eden Alternative mission at Pines is to create a community of residents,
families, and staff that fosters continuous opportunities for growth by
building relationships, pursuing experiences, and sharing new memories.
The Eden AlternativeTM
philosophy incorporates
animals, outdoor gardening, indoor plants, and children into the daily
lives of residents. This type of environment is designed to create true
communities in which our elders and other individuals in need of
residential care can live life to the fullest extent possible. There
are currently seventeen certified Eden Alternative Associates employed at
Pines in all levels of care.
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Residents have regular
contact with the children attending the onsite Child Care and
Learning Center and animals such as resident birds and cats and
visiting dogs. |
The
Eden Alternative™ has the potential of remaking the experience of
aging and disability across America and around the world. The core
concept of the Eden Alternative™ is to view elder care
environments as habitats for human beings rather than facilities for
the frail and elderly. Mother Nature can teach us much about the
creation of vibrant, vigorous habitats. At Pines, we are dedicated
to helping our residents grow by creating enlivening environments
and eliminating the plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and
boredom.
The ten principles at
the heart of the Eden
Alternative™ :
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The three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom
account for the bulk of suffering in a human community.
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Life
in a truly human community revolves around close and continuing
contact with children, plants, and animals. These ancient
relationships provide young and old alike with a pathway to a
life worth living.
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Loving
companionship is the antidote to loneliness. In a human
community, we must provide easy access to human and animal
companionship.
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To
give care to another makes us stronger. To receive care
gracefully is a pleasure and an art. A healthy human community
promotes both of these virtues in its daily life, seeking always
to balance one with the other.
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Trust
in each other allows us the pleasure of answering the needs of
the moment. When we fill our lives with variety and spontaneity,
we honor the world and our place in it.
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Meaning
is the food and water that nourishes the human spirit. It
strengthens us. The counterfeits of meaning tempt us with hollow
promises. In the end, they always leave us empty and alone.
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Medical
treatment should be the servant of genuine human caring, never
its master.
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In
a human community, the wisdom of the elders grows in direct
proportion to the honor and respect accorded to them.
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Human growth must never be separated from human life.
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Wise
leadership is the lifeblood of any struggle against the three
plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. For it, there
can be no substitute.
For
more information about Eden Alternative contact
Joe Rousseau, Human Resources Director
(941) 552-1888 ~ hr@pinesofsarasota.org
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