Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital Rehab and Nursing Center Re-commits to Implementing the Eden Alternative

January 6, 2011 – Reed City, Mich: Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital Rehab and Nursing Center has received recognition from the board of directors of the Eden Alternative as having renewed their status as a registered Eden Home. Reed City’s Rehab and Nursing Center joined the Eden Registry program to make a public statement about their commitment to creating a human habitat for elders and their care partners. The Eden Registry is an honor society that elevates and acknowledges the hard work of going against long standing institutional systems and creating a true home, and community.

Eden homes are admitted to the Eden Registry based on their foundation of Eden Alternative education, the support and commitment of their formal leadership and their plans for ongoing growth and implementation of the Eden principals. Connie Hervey, chief clinical officer and nursing home administrator states that “the Eden Alternative has shown us how close and continuous relationships, the opportunity to give meaningful care to other living things, and the variety and spontaneity that mark an enlivened community can succeed where pills and therapies fail. Eden teaches us that decisions belong with our Elders, or as close to our Elders as possible.”

The Eden Alternative philosophy centers on eliminating loneliness, helplessness and boredom. It focuses on elders giving and receiving care, and emphasizes the importance of relationships among elders and staff. The facility is a close-knit, inspiring community filled with life. For information on the Eden Alternative, please visit their website at www.edenalt.org. To learn more about Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital Rehab and Nursing Center, call 231.832.7121 or log on to the website at www.spectrum-health.org/reedcity.