&NA;Recently, models such as the Eden Alternative have presented a theoretical basis for attempting to create a therapeutic environment by bringing live‐in animals and plants into the nursing home. This article reports on the implementation and assessment of an intervention termed the “Living Habitat,” which borrows concepts from the Eden Alternative model. Implemented on a 32‐bed unit of a large urban nursing home, the Living Habitat offered numerous plants, a parakeet to any resident who requested one, and two cats and a dog for the unit. A baseline assessment of residents (N = 26) was conducted prior to the introduction of the animals and plants, and followup data were obtained 6 months after the intervention began. Results indicate that, following the introduction of the Living Habitat, residents higher in cognitive status became more positively engaged with their environment but reported a decreased sense of control. Residents who had greater affinity for pets also became more positively engaged with their environment. Qualitative impressions and challenges in implementing a systemic intervention are discussed.