By Kristi Doan
Community Builder, Eden Educator
The Eden Alternative
I did not realize how much the journey itself would become a lesson in well-being.
When I boarded the plane to Nova Scotia, I knew I was going on a work trip. It was an opportunity to visit four Certified Eden Member homes and connect with care partners across the Province. What I didn’t realize was how much the journey itself would become a lesson in well-being.
Nova Scotia greeted me with crisp air and the season starting to shift from summer to fall. The people were friendly, engaging, and trusting, from the small-town shop owner to the pottery maker to the hikers and beach walkers I passed. As I drove along the coast and across the Province between visits, I found myself reflecting on the Eden Alternative Domains of Well-Being® that are at the heart of the Eden Approach®: Identity, Growth, Autonomy, Security, Connectedness, Meaning, and Joy. Each stop on my trip offered a vibrant reminder of how these domains come alive when we focus on the human spirit as much as the task of care.
Identity: Being Known
At each of the homes, I was struck by how closely each Elder (or Resident) and employee care partner knew each other. These were not places where formality ruled, rather first names were abundant and whole families come together to break bread.
During my third visit, I sat with a group of women at supper. A family member who was there supporting the meal knew how and when each of the women liked their coffee. She did not automatically serve it. Rather she connected with each person, confirming that it was the beverage they wanted that meal and how their day was going. The family member made asides to me to brag about each woman, facts about them that she knew. As I listened to her, I realized how powerfully these communities honor identity. People are not defined by their diagnosis or their age, but by their stories and gifts. I left that visit reminded that identity is sustained when we are truly seen and valued for who we are.
Growth: Continuing the Journey
Another community I visited was bustling with energy. I connected with a man who was not only the President of their Elder Council, but he was also a proud member of a recent photography class. This class, he explained, was limited to a small group of people who were taught how to work digital cameras and dig into photo composition. It was led by a volunteer who brought a digital camera for each Elder with him to practice on.
Listening to his experience and passion for learning about taking digital photos, I thought about how the desire to grow never fades—it just needs space to flourish. These communities understand that growth is not limited by ability or circumstance; it’s a lifelong journey of curiosity and courage
Autonomy: The Power of Choice
In one home, I had an experience that showed how strongly this team of care partners supported creating true home for each person who lived there and a daily rhythm that was individualized and meaningful. It was later, in the evening, and I was speaking with an employee care partner in the kitchen area of a neighborhood. A Resident walked between us and entered the workspace of the kitchen. He took food out of the fridge and cabinets, and made a toasted peanut butter and banana sandwich. The employee care partner and I did not shift our conversation or make any move to be involved with his snack making.
This may not sound like something that should be of note. For me it spoke clearly to this being a person who knew the kitchen was in his home and that he had the right to eat when and how he desired. He did not require assistance. He did not need someone to do it for him. The kitchen was set up to support accessibility. It was a powerful moment for me.
Security: Feeling Safe in Every Way
As I traveled, I noticed how deeply people trusted one another. There was a quiet sense of safety—not just physical, but emotional. Employees spoke of the importance of consistency, of being reliable and present. Elders knew they could count on the people around them. That kind of security creates a foundation for all the other domains to thrive. When we feel safe, we open ourselves to connection and growth.
One night as I was walking around one of the homes, I noticed that an Elder was sleeping in her bed that had been brought into the common area of her neighborhood. Curious, I asked an employee care partner the reasoning behind her sleeping location. I learned of a team that had tried many different ideas to support better sleep for this particular Elder. My heart grew light as the employee described how they came to a solution that had been working for this Elder – sleeping in a darkened common area so she knows she can be seen and supported if need be. She felt safe and could sleep.
Connectedness: Belonging to Each Other
In Nova Scotia, connectedness felt woven into the culture. In multiple homes, I joined community suppers where Elders, families, and team members gathered like old friends. There was storytelling, gentle teasing, and the kind of laughter that comes from genuine comfort. Relationships here are not transactional—they are reciprocal. I felt it deeply: the healing power of belonging.
Meaning: Finding Purpose Each Day
Everywhere I went, people were engaged in meaningful activity. During my second visit, I was welcomed by a Resident who shared her story of coming to live and thrive in the home after a difficult period staying with family members. She described coming alive again as she found meaning and purpose in connection with others. She spoke of her deep involvement within the community and how she runs a highly loved coffee shop that is named after her.
One Elder proudly showed me puzzles that he put together, lacquered, and were used as the wall décor in his neighborhood. Another Elder shared pictures he had colored and insisted that I take a couple of them home. Family members spoke to me about how involved and welcomed they are in the daily rhythm of the home. Purpose wasn’t assigned; it was discovered. That sense of meaning—of having a role and making a difference—radiated through each community I visited.
The care partner team identifying ways to support the purpose each Elder desires.
Joy: The Heartbeat of Well-Being
And then, there was joy. It revealed itself in music and shared jokes. In toasting marshmallows over a bonfire with friends. Through the quiet experience of petting a cat. In children sharing stories about their day. In deeply knowing each other. Joy wasn’t forced—it flowed naturally from the relationships and freedom people experienced each day. It was a reminder that joy is not an extra in care—it’s essential.
Final Thoughts
As my trip came to an end, I realized I hadn’t just visited four Certified Eden Member communities, I had experienced what it means to live the philosophy, to see the approach in action. The Domains of Well-Being aren’t abstract ideals—they’re visible, tangible, and alive in Nova Scotia’s Eden Member homes.
Driving back toward Halifax on my final morning there, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I was grateful for the people I met and for the stories shared. Grateful for the reminder that well-being is not about doing more; it’s about being more fully present, connected, and alive.
Special thanks to Windsor Elms Village, Tideview Terrace, Hillside Pines Home for Special Care, and Harbourview Lodge Continuing Care Home for your hospitality and for creating spaces where people want to live and work.
About The Eden Alternative
Our Mission: To improve the well-being of Elders and their care partners by transforming the communities in which they live and work.
The Eden Alternative offers educational opportunities, consultation and a proven approach to honoring Elderhood – with resources for Elders and their care partners to elevate well-being.
