What does “well-being” mean to you?
We often equate well-being with health, strength, and the vigor of youth. When these fade, whether through illness, injury, or advancing age, society sees us (and we may see ourselves) as unable to truly have well-being.
The Eden Alternative™, an international not-for-profit organization seeking to shift the culture of care and ensure quality of life for Elders and their care partners, has issued a white paper that challenges these assumptions about well-being, and defines seven basic needs that all humans must have satisfied for genuine well-being.
According to The Eden Alternative, the domains of well-being include:
- IDENTITY—being well-known; having personhood; individuality; having a history
- GROWTH—development; enrichment; expanding; evolving
- AUTONOMY—liberty; self-determination; choice; freedom
- SECURITY—freedom from doubt, anxiety, or fear; safety; privacy; dignity; respect
- CONNECTEDNESS—belonging; engaged; involved; connected to time, place, and nature
- MEANING—significance; heart; hope; value; purpose; sacredness
- JOY—happiness; pleasure; delight; contentment; enjoyment
Thinking about well-being this way frees us to consider creative ways to support the well-being of people who live with cognitive challenges, and to examine our own needs as care partners.
You can read more and link to the white paper by clicking HERE, and watch this short video from The Eden Alternative on “creating ‘Home'” below:
Please join me next week to look more deeply into the idea of “Identity,” something we all need to honor in ourselves and in others, and a domain that is often challenged by physical or cognitive changes.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be going deeper into each area, exploring how these needs can be satisfied in people living with dementia or frailty, and inviting your stories.
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Lisa Kendall is a clinical gerontologist who serves as an Educator and Mentor for The Eden Alternative(TM), and has a special passion for supporting Elders living with dementia and their care partners. You can reach Lisa at crossroadscounseling@hotmail.com.
