Eden Alternative
Mission: To improve the well-being of Elders and their care partners by transforming the communities in which they live and work.

The Vine 

-an online newsletter for Eden Registry Members

March 2016   

Age of Disruption Tour
Where is Dr. Thomas these days?

Dr. Bill Thomas book jacket photo
Here are the tour dates and locations for the Age of Disruption Tour which kicks off again in April. Be sure to attend an event if it is close to you!
*    March 28th - Santa Fe, NM
*    March 29th - Flagstaff, AZ
*    March 30th - Las Vegas, NV
*    March 31st - Orange County, CA
*    April 1st - San Diego, CA
*    April 18th - Charleston, SC
*    April 19th - Columbia, SC
*    April 20th - Charlotte, NC
*    April 21st - Durham/Chapel Hill, NC
*    April 22nd - Richmond, VA

You can click here to get to the website where you can order your tickets to attend.

Eden Alternative Neighborhood Guide Training  Developing High Performing, QAPI-Focused, Teams

The hierarchical organizational structure of many healthcare organizations no longer meets every day Eldercare challenges, such as cuts in reimbursement, increased pressure from regulatory agencies, QAPI, and increased competition for competent and experienced employees. It is top-heavy, inefficient, and unable to meet the continually changing care needs of those it serves. Hierarchical structures are also ineffective in promoting person-directed care. The next right answer is the creation of empowered, self-directed, employee work teams that have strong relationships, a commitment to continuous improvement, and the tools to collaborate and grow together.

The Eden Alternative Neighborhood Guide Training prepares leaders for deep personal and operational change, by equipping them with a powerful set of tools to effectively drive the next evolution of Eldercare. Join this webinar to learn about the Neighborhood Guide Training experience, and the 30 modules it contains, that enables leaders to leverage the creative energy and passion of all employee care partners; ensuring that teams are successful and sustainable.

Click here to register to attend the webinar

Next Neighborhood Guide Training will be June 6-10, 2016 in Oklahoma City, OK. This training is for formal leaders and provided 35.5 hours of continuing education.
The Elders' Voice is Needed at the Conference
How you can make it happen ... 
 
There are three ways you can assist in getting the Elder's voice into the 2016 Eden Alternative International Conference: 
  1. Create a short video with Elders telling us why "It's About Time." The video should be no more than 30 seconds. Get the Elder's permission, make the video, and then send the file to Laura Beck ([email protected]).
  2. Provide a donation to help scholarship Elders to attend the conference. Spread the word in your community and invite others to do the same. Click here to make your donation today.
  3. Fill out a scholarship application for an Elder to attend the conference. Funds are coming in, but no one is applying to use them. Here is your chance to bring the Elder's voice to our conference! Take advantage of it!

    Everyone who submits a video will be entered in a drawing for one free registration to the 2016 Eden Alternative International Conference!
2016 Registry Networking Calls

Join us for the next networking call on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 2pm ET. The topic will be "Meaning in All Aspects of Daily Life" We will be looking at Principle Six and steps in the Path to Mastery related to driving meaning deep into daily life and organizational systems. We will share how organizations are achieving mastery in these steps. Come prepared to share your story!
 
Ideas Worth Sharing
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The Registry call with Dr. Thomas offered some great ideas worth sharing. If you want to listen to the recording of the call you can find the link under "Special Access," "For Registry Members," and then the "Webinar, Networking and Conference Call Schedule." Here are just a few ideas that caught my attention:
*    Growing the culture change journey is an art, not a science. There will always be turnover of leaders and it should be an opportunity to grow!
*    Get commitment to the journey from whatever governing body is a part of the organization (Board, township, corporation). They should identify the quality of leader they are seeking and build in an short-term evaluation process that includes the ability of the new leader to sustain progress.
*    Remember that transitions require a lot of energy. Mobilize the wisdom of the Elders. Hold Learning Circles. Give people a chance to talk about what the transition means for them.
*    If you are a new leader in a culture change organization, cultivate an appreciation of opposing opinions. The creative process happens when every voice is heard. Attend to conflict well and build trust. It's important.
*    New leaders need to understand that they have a reservoir of trust that they are given and they need to take good care of it. If they are not careful, they can spend it down quickly.
*    New leaders should cultivate a beginner's mind. People want to tell you their stories. Listen and learn!

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Here are three ah-ha's from recent Eden Associate and Eden Educator classes to share:
1.    Raise your hand if you ask new Elders about the time they like to get up and go to bed. Now raise your hand if instead you ask about their morning or bedtime ritual. The meaning (and simple pleasures) are in the routines, not the times. Consider asking about their routines. You might find some great growth opportunities for the whole care partner team!
2.    Do you have a handbook for leaders/manager/supervisors that tells them how to treat the employees entrusted to their care? Many organizations have handbooks that talk about how employees in various roles should treat the Elders entrusted to their care, but what about those who supervise their efforts? If the Eden Alternative Golden Rule is in place, what would the handbook for leaders/managers/supervisors say? If leaders/managers/supervisors were held to those standards, what might change in the culture and climate of the organization? An idea worth considering...
3.    Have you reached out an invited Elders, and/or family members, to serve on teams you have in place in the organization? Some Registry Members have Elders and family members on the leadership team, safety team, falls team, QAPI team, etc. Elders and family members have more to offer than just menu suggestions and paint color choices. Expand your thinking and you expand the possibilities!

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Several Registry Members have gone after CMP grant funds for Certified Eden Associate Training. CMP grant funds are also being utilized by Registry Members, Mentors and Educators to help bring other Eden Alternative offerings like Dementia Beyond Drugs to their states. If you are interested in getting support to access grant funds to help your organization grow, please contact us.

Celebrations! balloons2.jpg

Celebrating Milestone mastery:

*    Calhoun County Medical Care Facility, Battle Creek, MI - Milestone 2
*    Central Haven Special Care Home, Saskatoon, SK - Milestone 2
*    Chautauqua Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, DeFuniak Springs, FL - Milestone 2
*    Riverview Health Care Center, Prestonsburg, KY - Milestone 2

There is always time to celebrate the value of meaning, especially when it is found where you least expect. Phillip Ramey, Eden Mentor and Educator, shares a story about a journey to a basketball game with Mr. Jones. Unexpected meaning was discovered because Phillip was in the moment with Mr. Jones rather than seeing this as another transportation duty. Read the story and be inspired!
 
Christian Living Communities Clermont Park  just had an article published in The Journal of Active Aging. It is about Clermont College of Creative Life. The college is an opportunity for care partners (Elders, employees and family members) to share their knowledge and experience with each other. It was an inspired idea of one of the Elders who lives at Clermont Park. It is about time this amazing opportunity was recognized! Congratulations!