By Denise Hyde
Membership Engagement Guide
The Eden Alternative
Will it be about growth or mitigating deficits? Which works best for you?
First Care Plan Meeting
I remember attending my first care plan meeting as a pharmacist at the Veterans Home. We were sitting in a basement conference room with a charge nurse, the activity director, the social service workers, and the Director of Nursing. The charge nurse opened up the hand-written care plan and started reading:
“John Smith is a 75-year-old veteran. He has congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, macular degeneration, and COPD. He is taking (and she read off the long list of medications). He has an appointment on (and she read off his upcoming appointments). His first problem is … Our goals for him are … Our approaches are …”
The activity director and social services representatives added a few comments. I added any medication related recommendations as well. There was a brief discussion about whether any of the problems, goals or approaches needed changes and then we went on to the next person. I fell right into their routine.
Sound Familiar?
I once wondered whether we would know who the person actually was if the nurse did not read their name first. The care plans all started sounding the same after a few meetings. There was nothing unique about their care plans. Nothing that spoke to what that person wanted or their goals. When a veteran or their family was in the room, I actually felt embarrassed to have their care plan read out loud. How must it sound to them? How would I feel if that was my care plan?
Time to Get Smarter
I wish I could say that we got smarter, that we had leadership in place that wanted to change the process. But we did not. However, I got smarter and learned that it could be different. I met people who had made the care plan personal, individualized, invited the elders to participate, and used the person’s goals and words to describe how they wanted to live their life. Instead of talking about problems that “we” needed to fix, they talked about how to redesign systems to ensure the person could live life on their terms. No more cookie cutter approach- a story that honored the person’s voice, desires, and autonomy. Amazing!
Making It Better
The Eden Alternative has created best practices that Eden Members can use to make meaningful changes in their care plan process. These Practices will improve the quality of the care plans as well as the review process. There are Practices about:
- Incorporating the Eden Alternative Domains of Well-Being® into the care plan.
- Using strength-based language.
- Ensuring loneliness, helplessness, and boredom are addressed in a care plan (if appropriate).
- Ensuring the care plan is driven by Elder choice.
- Writing care plans in the voice of the individual.
- Including the whole care partner team in the review process (e.g., housekeeping, maintenance, laundry, dining services, etc.); all the people the Elder wants in the room advocating with them.
Eden Members Improve Care Planning
Growth and Certified Eden Members will find these Practices in the following Tracks:
- Clinical Services Track
- Loneliness, Helplessness, and Boredom Track
- Person-First Language Track
What do You Want?
I want a care plan focused on possibilities, not problems. Yes, it will need to address my medical needs. I want my well-being to be at the center of it. I want it to reflect my voice and my wishes because it is MY care plan. I want the people who know me best to be in the room to advocate for me and make sure I am well-known.
Register today to learn more about person-directed care planning during the Reimagining the Possible: How It Can Be Different online symposium happening October 15, 2025.
Care planning can be different, and Eden Members have the tools to make it happen! Reach out to learn more about the best Practices available and how you can support meaningful care planning for yourself or people you support. Schedule a call today!
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.
