Non‑Discrimination Policy
Welcoming Pets Into Our Homes
Posted August 01, 2015
When Christine Coen became a resident at Hale Makua Kahului, it was important to her to have the things that meant the most to her close by. One of those things just happened to be her yellow parakeet of eight years, Goldie.
Due to her injury, Christine was unable to provide Goldie with adequate care. Activities Director, Teresa Lopes, immediately volunteered to help and sent a request calling out to other staff. A handful of our care partners quickly joined together to create a schedule that ensured Goldie’s cage was cleaned daily and she had fresh water and food. We understand the importance of keeping plants, animals and children close to our elders. Christine felt like this would make her feel more at home and make her transition into our care home a little easier.
Welcoming pets and other animals to Hale Makua illustrates Eden Alternative Principle #2: “An Elder-centered community commits to creating a Human Habitat where life revolves around close and continuing contact with plants, animals, and children. It is these relationships that provide the young and old alike with a pathway to a life worth living.”
The Eden Alternative works to change the perception of aging as a period of decline to that of continuing to grow. This philosophy puts decision-making into the hands of Elders or those closest to them, with the focus on creating an environment as close to their own homes as possible. In the Eden Alternative, we "strive to enhance well-being by eliminating the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom." The team work provided to Christine and Goldie is what we continuously strive for on our Eden Journey.