Domains of Wellbeing
As part of our Eden work towards Principle 7 you will be seeing Domains of Wellbeing posters popping up in residents’ rooms. A question that has long challenged those of us who work in residential care is: What makes life worth living and how do we measure it? The Domains of Wellbeing are an attempt by the Eden Alternative to identify the key components of wellbeing. These are defined as:
- Identity – being well known
- Connectedness – being loved and connected
- Security – feeling safe
- Autonomy – freedom to choose and a sense of control
- Meaning – purpose and hope
- Growth – unfolding
- Joy – having contentment and delight
Our Domains of Wellbeing posters ask residents to identify things in their life that bring them each of these aspects of wellbeing. These might be big things, for example, “my children bring me connectedness” or small things, “I like to choose what to have for breakfast – this brings me autonomy.” By completing these posters we get to know our residents better and learn about the things that are most important to their wellbeing, be they big or small.
