Cappella Pueblo West is proud to announce, we have been awarded a Workforce Resilience Grant to equip our staff with training from the Eden Alternative. The Eden Alternative is a revolutionary philosophy that aims to transform caring relationships throughout all care settings and services. This philosophy will help us grow our commitment to person-directed care and focus on resident autonomy, connection, and purpose. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Workforce Resilience Program to offer this training to our team. It will provide our team the skills to enhance their careers, that support quality of life for the older adults.
What is the Eden Alternative?
Since its inception in the 1990s, the Eden Alternative has grown into an international movement. Its principles being embraced by nursing homes, assisted living communities, and home care providers alike. Developed by Dr. William H Thomas, it challenges the traditional institutional model of nursing homes and advocates for creating vibrant, life-affirming communities where residents can thrive and grow.
The Eden Alternative is built on ten guiding principles that address the “three plagues” that often afflict elders in institutional settings:
- Loneliness is combated by fostering close relationships and companionship with plants, animals, and people of all ages.
- Helplessness is alleviated by empowering residents to direct their own care and make meaningful choices.
- Boredom is eliminated by introducing spontaneity, variety, and opportunities for purposeful engagement.
The workforce grant will allow us to equip our team members and residents with the tools needed to combat these “plagues” and ensure our residents thrive.
A Home, Not an Institution
At the heart of Cappella Pueblo West, we are committed to creating a true home for our residents. Thanks to the workforce grant, we will continue to cultivate an environment that feels warm, familiar, and nurturing, allowing residents to maintain their autonomy, dignity, and sense of identity. Our focus addresses the issues of helplessness, loneliness, and boredom which negatively impact overall well-being and health. To combat these issues, we emphasize the importance of belonging to a vibrant, caring, and inclusive community, despite ability or age.
We encourage residents to pursue their interests, form meaningful connections, and contribute to the community in ways that bring them purpose and joy. By fostering a supportive environment, everyone at Cappella Pueblo West can experience health and well-being.
Person-Directed Care
Cappella Pueblo West and the Eden Alternative champion a person-directed approach to care, where residents are treated as unique individuals with their own preferences, values, and life stories. Care is tailored to their specific needs and desires, rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
Residents are empowered to make choices about their daily routines, activities, and care, fostering a sense of control and autonomy. Through the workforce grant, we will be able to provide caregivers, or “care partners,” the training to build close relationships with residents, understanding their personalities and preferences to provide truly personalized care.
At Cappella Pueblo West our residents will experience Eden’s seven domains of well-being through our person-directed care. These domains of well-being are identity, growth, autonomy, security, connectedness, meaning, and joy. How each resident experiences these domains will be unique to them, but the end goal is the same. Residents who thrive in their self-determination, enrichment, individuality, safety, significance, belonging, and delight.
More About the Grant
Colorado’s Workforce Resilience Grant Program is an initiative launched by the Colorado Community College System to support rural businesses and individuals. The program aims to bolster employee recruitment, retention, and upskilling efforts in rural areas. Funded by $750,000 in federal recovery dollars, the Workforce Resilience Program offers grants ranging from $25,000 to $75,000 to eligible applicants. The grants can be utilized for various workforce-related projects, such as designing custom employee training programs, providing short-term stipends for workers, or sponsoring training for career advancement within organizations.
