Rand Aid’s Ron Smith Care Centre remains an
Eden Alternative pioneer in South Africa, two-and-a-half years after becoming
the first organisation in Gauteng to become a member of the Eden Alternative
South Africa registry.
Founded in America, the Eden Alternative is
revolutionising the way in which elders are cared for. The core concept of the
Eden Alternative is about teaching us to see places where elders live as
habitats for human beings rather than facilities for the frail and elderly.
Eden Alternative thus sees aging as a continued stage of development and growth
and not as a period of decline.
Four milestones have to be reached in order to
fully master the Eden Alternative philosophy. Ron Smith Care Centre began its
Eden Alternative journey in 2012, when a presentation was made to the Rand Aid
board. At the end of 2016, after a process of physical, cultural,
organisational and personal transformation, the criteria for Milestone One was
reached and the care centre became only the second in Africa to achieve Eden
Registry membership.
In 2018, it achieved registry renewal, which is
required every two years.
Today, there are five other organisations in
South Africa which are in the process of completing Milestone One, which will
entitle them to Eden Registry membership.
Ron Smith Care Centre, meanwhile, is working
towards achieving Milestone Two, which reflects the leadership’s commitment to
spreading culture change throughout the organisation and preparing everyone to
take an active role in change initiatives.
It is hoped that Milestone Two will be achieved
this year.
“Milestone Two recognises that wise leadership
is the life blood of the struggle against the three plagues facing our elders –
that of loneliness, helplessness and boredom,” says Debbie Christen, Rand Aid’s
Manager: Recreational Programmes, who is part of the team managing the care
centre’s Eden Alternative journey.
“It also emphasises that creating an elder-centred
community is a never ending process, while focusing on restoring meaning to the
lives of our elders. This is done by caring for the person and not the disease
or disability that a resident is living with and bringing decision making closer to the resident.
“To achieve Milestone Two, personal,
organisational and physical transformation is required,” she says.
“Residents, staff, families and volunteers are
all getting to know each other better, beyond their positions, roles, medical
conditions or outward appearances,” says Debbie of the care centre’s Eden
Alternative experiences.
“Activities and events are geared towards
learning individual’s identities, making them meaningful, and giving people
opportunities to meet each other, socialise, connect and have fun,” she says,
explaining that the care centre’s ‘Who Am I’ initiative has been particularly
successful in allowing residents, staff and volunteers to learn about others
beyond a superficial level.
“I have so enjoyed being able to contribute to
human growth and have particularly enjoyed working with and empowering
different levels of staff in the planning and implementing of events and
activities. These events not only bring meaning and joy to our residents but
allow our staff to use their own unique gifts and talents.
“Some examples which spring to mind are the
Happy Hours hosted in turn by the staff of our six wings, the annual Heritage
Day event and Christmas Celebration, at which the staff provide the
entertainment by planning, preparing and rehearsing for a musical skit or other
item that they present on the day.
“In other words, we are providing our own
entertainment by developing and exploring the gifts and talents of our
residents and staff and giving them the chance to shine. And the whole process is as valuable as the
outcome.
“After the Christmas 2018 event, where the
staff performed a care centre version of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, resident Jill Jones commented: ‘Very well done,
particularly to you, but also to the cast, who thoroughly enjoyed it, and
brought to the fore talents which I don’t think they were aware of. They had
such fun performing and felt so good afterwards. What memories to keep for
them. I just looked at the glowing faces as they took their bows. It was so
lovely to see!”
Debbie says that the care centre’s volunteers
also make an immense contribution to the well being of the care centre
residents. “They all contribute in different ways – some of them run
activities, some assist with OT activities, some do very special work with our
residents living with dementia, some visit individuals and all volunteers add
energy, warmth, caring, communication and connection to and with our elders.
“They make connections and build relationships.”
Debbie explains that globally, there is an elder
loneliness epidemic. She says that as a society, we are lonelier than we have
ever been.
“In terms of our residents here, many of them
receive few visitors. They are at an age where their friends and spouses are no
longer with them, children may live overseas and many of them long for deep and
engaging communication and connection with another human being.”
She says that the care centre’s staff and
volunteers have helped combat loneliness by building precious relationships
with residents.
“Our nursing staff reach out to residents
beyond standard nursing duties,” says Zabeth Zühlsdorff, Rand Aid’s GM Services
and Advance Division. “They offer hand massages, read to residents from a favourite
book, participate in building or doing puzzles and know what the favourite
foods are of the residents in their care. They even know which clothes they
like wearing for different occasions.”
Filtering
Eden Alternative throughout the organisation
Rand Aid runs a number of retirement villages
and two care centres and although Ron Smith Care Centre has pioneered Rand
Aid’s Eden Alternative journey, the philosophy of people-centred care is being
spread throughout the organisation.
To date, 64 staff members across various levels
have become Eden Associates after undergoing training and completing formal
courses. Of these, 37 are from Ron Smith Care Centre.
“Most of our staff members understand, embrace
and support the Eden Alternative philosophy, but do find it quite a challenge
to put it into practice in their very busy days. It is truly an ongoing process
to apply aspects of the philosophy to daily life at the care centre,” explains
Debbie.
She says that an education plan is in place to impart
knowledge of the Eden Alternative to residents, staff, volunteers and families.
“Families and visitors to the care centre can actually see and experience what
makes the Ron Smith Care Centre an Eden home.”
“We have received an increased number of both
written and verbal thanks from families. In these letters, they mention the
warm and caring relationships between their loved one and the care staff. They
say it is such a comfort to them to know that their loved one is cared for with
warmth and in ways that respect their identity and dignity,” says Zabeth.
Nothing
sterile here
Beautiful grounds with gardens, flowers, plants
and trees, a lake with ducks and other bird life, walking paths, outdoor recreation
and hospitality areas with braais where one can socialise or be entertained, a croquet
and golf or putt-putt area, swimming pool and jungle gyms for visiting
grandchildren make Ron Smith Care Centre a place people are happy to call home.
“We have a herb garden, resident cats Candy and
Stripe, a chicken coop and with permission, some residents have brought along
their own cats or birds.
“Since the huge renovations done prior to us
achieving Milestone One, our bathrooms have been upgraded and are now custom-designed
to suit the needs of the elderly frail.
“Upgraded dining areas help improve the meal
time experience and those residents wanting a break from our dining hall, can
visit our pretty, on-site coffee shop.”
The care centre’s multidisciplinary team of doctors,
nurses, social workers, occupational therapist, occupational therapist
technician, lifestyle assistant and recreation manager ensure the physical and
emotional wellbeing of residents.
Debbie adds that nursing care is no longer
based on hospital routines, but is based upon person-directed care, with the
residents having more autonomy in terms of when they wish to bathe, shower,
dress and have their meals.
“Our friendly, caring staff uphold the Eden
Alternative way of living out the motto: Warm hearts and caring hands.
“In short, we have made it our mission to
create a better world for the people who live and work here; to promote
wellbeing and a quality of life where they can live life to the fullest as part
of a loving, caring and supportive community.”
OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPY CENTRE
The Eden Alternative philosophy is based on the
core belief that ageing should be a continuous stage of development and growth,
rather than a period of decline. The activity centre is one place in the complex
where the staff makes it their mission to ensure that there is growth rather
than decline amongst the residents and staff. And it is a place where residents
can engage in meaningful activities which bring them joy and purpose.
VOLUNTEER
PROGRAMME
The care centre is fortunate to have a group of
dedicated volunteers who offer the gift of their time, talents and skills to
touch and enrich the lives of our elders and to add to their health and
wellbeing.
In the midst of a busy day, it is often the
physical/medical needs that receive priority.
But since embarking on an Eden Alternative journey, we are committed to
providing our residents with more holistic and person-centred care, where we
recognise and address their physical, social, creative, psychological,
emotional and spiritual needs.
This is where our volunteers really make a
difference and fill in the gaps. Volunteers may never know the profound effect
that they may have made on a person’s life. A kind word, a gentle touch, a
caring heart or a listening ear can mean so much to someone who is bored,
lonely, sick or living with dementia.
GRATITUDE
WINDOW
Photographs of the residents, staff, family and
volunteers are an important part of the care centre and are so meaningful to
all. We generally put up a display of
photos on our Gratitude Window after every special event or function, along
with words thanking all those who played a part in making the event happen.
Visitors really seem to get a positive vibe
when they look at the pictures and family members are reassured and happy to
see that their loved ones attend and participate in meaningful activities which
bring them joy. One can see, through the
pictures, that many positive connections and relationships have been formed and
that magical and memorable moments have taken place.
Each of the six wings have their own special
Magical Moments Memory Boards, which are filled with photos of residents, staff
and volunteers enjoying themselves at various events, functions and activities.
REFLECTING
ON THE EDEN ALTERNATIVE JOURNEY
Ron Smith Care Centre started is Eden
Alternative journey in 2012 and was awarded a place on the Eden Registry in
2016. Since then, the care centre has been continuously committed to making a
number of physical, cultural, operational and organisational changes to
transform the environment in which the elders live.
“We have undertaken a journey to transform from
a traditional, clinical, sterile hospital-like facility where the focus is on
providing nursing care, into a warm and vibrant home which is based on
person-centred care, where we care for the whole person,” says Debbie.
“We strive to create a place where each person
feels known, valued and affirmed, where their individual needs and preferences
are addressed, where they feel safe and secure, where they have opportunities
to grow, develop new interests and engage in meaningful activities which bring
them joy and purpose, where they are offered choices and encouraged to take
part in planning and decision making, where they have opportunities to
socialise with family and friends and to develop deep connections and
relationships.
