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THE EDENALTERNATIVEAEW2005 AEW MATTHEWS MEMORIAL TRAVELLING SCHOLARSHIPSouth West Healthcare Merindah Lodge Unit Manager Julie Riches andDiversional Therapy Coordinator Robyn Hose flew to the United Statesin January after being awarded the organisation’s 2005 AEW MatthewsMemorial Travelling Scholarship. Determined to give Merindah Lodgeresidents a greater sense of control of their lives, the pair studied there tobecome Australia’s first Eden Alternative Culture Change Facilitators.“The AEW Matthews Memorial Travelling Scholarship provides up to $7,500 to (usually) oneemployee with an insatiable appetite to learn latest techniques, treatment and approaches.A relatively new approach to caring, the Eden Alternative was developedin the US in 1991. It’s been implemented in many American aged carefacilities since. It seeks to eliminate loneliness, helplessness and boredomby implementing a model that creates what’s called a ‘human habitat’ thatincorporates resident pets, the daily infusion of children into residents’lives, an abundance of plants and gardens, the transformation of residentstyle and the consequent involvement of the local community.Its demonstrated benefits are amazing. They include a reduction inbehavioural difficulties, the use of psychotropic medication, bedsores,falls and incontinence; staff sickness and turn over; an increase in bedoccupancy, and improved accreditation scores. Not that theCamperdown-based Merindah Lodge’s accreditation score can be radicallyimproved, given it recorded a perfect 44/44 in 2005.Following an intensive training course in Nebraska and Milwaukee, Robynand Julie then visited aged care facilities that have been operating under theEden Alternative for more than a decade.These two SWH Camperdown campus workers join 19 other SWHemployees who, since 1991, have travelled the globe in search of newknowledge. The AEW Matthews Memorial Travelling Scholarship providesup to $7,500 to (usually) one employee with an insatiable appetite to learnlatest techniques, treatment and approaches. Presented annually, it’s namedin recognition of outstanding service to the Warrnambool & DistrictBase Hospital (now known as South West Healthcare) by the late AllanMatthews who was Chief Executive Officer from 1972 to 1983.The 2005 recipient was SWH Child & Adolescent Mental Health ServiceManager and Senior Clinician Rebecca Knapp. She studied assessmentand treatment practices at specialist infant mental health programs in SanFrancisco and New Orleans.“These two SWH Camperdown campusworkers join 19 other SWH employees who,since 1991, have travelled the globein search of new knowledge.Above: Back from studying in the US, Camperdown’s aged care facilityUnit Manager Julie Riches (left) and Diversional Therapy CoordinatorRobyn Hose take some time out in Merindah Lodge’s own ‘Garden ofEden’ with resident Thelma Grenfell.NURSING SERVICES””14