What is Enrichment?
Just what is “Enrichment?” To me, “Enrichment” is not a single program or an activity, but a philosophy that seeks to encourage people to actively participate in their daily life and to contribute to the lives of others in our Community. The result is an individual feeling that his/her life has meaning and purpose
We are all enriching the lives of the people that live here at Lenbrook as well as the lives of our Associates and guests every day! Our Enrichment Associates focus on encouraging each person to define his or her vision of Wellness — within the 7 dimensions of Wellness and the Eden Alternative’s 7 domains of Well-being — and to provide an opportunity for him or her to experience it.
Definitions Can Change as Life Changes
Take “Physical Wellness” for example. In 2007, I was involved in a car accident. Prior to the accident, my definition of Physical Wellness was much different than several seconds later. After the accident, my goals for myself were very basic: to be able to walk to the restroom on my own, to stand up straight and to eliminate pain.
We all know that our residents have life events which change their goals. It is our responsibility as Associates at Lenbrook to be aware of these changes, to support our residents in their efforts to grow and NOT to define for them what success looks like.
We must be respectful and meet our residents where they are at all times. It’s one of the reasons it’s so important that we pay attention to all the dimensions of wellness and well-being in a person’s life, not just one or two. Here are the dimensions:
The 7 Dimensions of Wellness
- Social
- Environmental
- Intellectual
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Physical
- Occupational
The 7 Domains of Well-Being
- Identity
- Growth
- Autonomy: Choice and self-determination; freedom from the arbitrary exercise of authority.
- Security
- Connectedness
- Meaning
- Joy
I invite you to think about this quote from Dr. William Thomas (founder of the global non-profit The Eden Alternative), “Well-being is a much larger idea than either quality of life or customer satisfaction. It is based on a holistic understanding of human needs and capacities. Well-being is elusive, highly subjective, and the most valuable of all human possessions.”
Lisa Kiely is the Director of Enrichment at Lenbrook, where she and her team collaborate with residents to continually refresh and refine the programs and events offered on campus and out in the community. She is a graduate of Texas Womans University and is a Certified Eden at Home Associate, Certified Activities Director, Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Step, Cycle, Parkinson’s and Barre Instructor.