Let's make a garden.

That's exactly what Dr. Bill Thomas is doing.

These are fully living human beings who need to be surrounded by life.

[birds chirping]

These kind of grapevines and the birds and the plants—

He started seven years ago—

Are all designed to create a little habitat.

In upstate New York.

Good morning!

Creating an Eden—

Oh, hi sweetie.

For the elderly.

Life should be worth living.

And transforming this once antiseptic facility—

Give me a kiss.

Into a thriving home.

This arbor looks really pretty and green.

Filled with thousands of plants.

That is a lovebird.

And hundreds of birds.

[birds chirping]

Hello! Looking for the rabbit. Have you see her?

And countless companions.

I love you.

There isn't one reason why anyone has to die of loneliness. It's 100% preventable.

Lally.

Dr. Thomas calls his revolutionary cure the Eden Alternative.

We know we'll never create paradise on Earth, especially for sick old people. But let's march in that direction.

You also have a little bit of Noah's Ark going there too.

Yes! Yes, that's right. Noah's Ark too. [laughs]

She's gotta be under one of these beds. [laughs]

For people who live here, this is their whole world. This is the world. And we make that world for them.

Come over here.

Bill Thomas has made a world where dogs do essential work.

Ginger gives affection. And she's really, really good at it. And she works cheap.

Oh my gosh!

In this world—

Oh, he's so tiny!

Baby lovebirds bring hope.

I'd hate to lose it now. I'd hate to part with it. [laughs]

And curious cats—

You wouldn't touch it, would you?

Offer companionship to everyone.

[bed squeaks]

I found her!

Overweight rabbits—

The last time I weighed her, she was about 11 pounds.

Provide comfort.

Sometimes they're better than people.

[children shouting]

And children. Lots of children.

[shouting] 'Cause it's Valentine's Day!

Give out Valentines.

You need them!

Oh, you need them!

And big hugs.

Do you want to give her another hug?

It's Valentine's Day!

Aw, isn't that nice?

Here, taking care of the spirit—

You're my little boy, aren't you?

Is as important as taking care of the body.

We have overmedicated people who live in nursing homes. And what the Eden Alternative lets us do is substitute genuine human caring for drugs.

[laughing]

This particular nursing home saved $75,000 a year in drug costs. That's a lot of dog food.

Does the Eden Alternative also give the elderly a reason to live?

People who are surrounded by children and plants and animals, their eyes light up and they sparkle again.

I think it helps people get better.

A human being with a reason to live is an incredibly rugged organism.

According to Dr. Thomas—

The infection rate here went down 50%.

There we go.

In fact, the death rate went down 25%.

Plants and pets save lives.

And this is very good therapy for her hands and her wrist and her arm.

People fought for their lives because their lives meant something.

What would this place be like if they took all the birds, all the animals, and all the children away? What would it be like?

It wouldn't be worth living for.

[whistling]

But the residents aren't the only people here to benefit.

Those animals bring out tenderness and warmth in the staff too.

You might be having a lousy day. The dog'll come up, brush on your leg, you stop, you pet the dog. It changes your whole mindset.

[chirping]

The bird recognizes me when I came in.

[chirping]

And he'll start that.

[chirping]

People started falling in love with the animals.

[laughs]

Good morning, residents. We have Molly in the dining room at 10 o'clock.

This may not be your typical nursing home. But if Bill Thomas has his way, it soon will be.

Good girl.

In just seven years, he's brought the Eden Alternative to over 300 nursing homes.

This is the way it should be. People belong in a human habitat surrounded by affection, having plants and animals and kids all around them.

Happy Valentine's Day!

That's what they need.

Ginger, you're a good girl.