It's too early to tell if Asbury will see a drop in staff turnover, as the Thomases did. So do shared concerns and conversations about, say, whether Dean the greyhound is eating enough to put some meat on his bones. Seeing growth and change Kids and plants constitute the other key elements of Eden. Middle-school students also volunteer to bake, do crafts and read with residents. Eventually, Stermer wants to have an after-school program on site.
Indoor plants give even bed-ridden patients a chance to see something grow and change.
Mary Ware hears the fountain bubbling through her window on the courtyard. She loves hearing residents talk about the resident goldfish. Resistance to change can be an obstacle, she and Stermer say. Some states have tight restrictions on pets in nursing homes, but North Carolina doesn't. In fact, state officials are part of the Eden Alternative Coalition Committee, which promotes the approach statewide.