CARMA Capacity Building Strategies

Eden Alternative and Envisioning Home

What is the EDEN Alternative?

The EDEN Alternative is an innovative philosophy of long-term care.  It believes that loneliness, helplessness and boredom account for most of the suffering experienced by residents living in long-term care.  The EDEN Alternative seeks to eliminate these by creating a vibrant, living and working environment for its residents and staff. 

In 2008, the residents at George Pearson Centre engaged in a participatory action research project called Envisioning Home. The results confirmed the importance of moving the EDEN Alternative philosophy of care forward. In order to improve the quality of life at Pearson Centre the residents support the implementation of the EDEN Alternative and constantly strive to insert EDEN into discussions about services at Pearson. For more information, please visit the Pearson Residents website here.

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Farmer's on 57th

There's a big, beautiful agricultural project at George Pearson Centre, thanks to a partnership between the Community and Resident Mentors Association (CARMA) and Farmers on 57th.

Visit the Farmer's on 57th website here.

Growing Eden Project

Neighbourhood families with low incomes can grow and harvest their own food. Hands-on training provided for families and their children about growing fruit and vegetables.

Thank you to the United Way of the Lower Mainland for their support. Click here to visit the Growing Eden project website.

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Pearson Residents' Website

One of the strategies that CARMA uses to encourage Pearson residents to hope and to dream is by finding ways to build bridges to the world outside.

The Pearson Residents' website is produced by the residents of George Pearson Centre, who say, "we invite you to look into our lives in this care facility and to share our hopes, our gifts and our struggles."

Read stories, watch new 2011 videos and learn more at www.pearsonresidents.bc.ca. 

Painting: Grapes by Joy Kjellboton

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Community Kitchen

BCCPD’s CARMA program sponsors the monthly Able Community Kitchen. The community kitchen brings together Pearson residents and community members to share food knowledge and meal preparation skills.

Read about the Able Community kitchen here.