They say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Lynn AuCoin hopes the pictures hanging in Gateway Lodge bring more than words – even a thousand of them. She hopes each image helps residents reconnect with their community.
"We've been trying to make our facilities more home-like," says Lynn, the Recreation Therapist Supervisor for Gateway Lodge’s complex care and Rainbow Lodge in Prince George. "Our residents enter a new stage in their lives. Suddenly, they’re getting regular care and help in a new place. We want to see our hallways filled with things that residents can relate to and talk about. Whether that's milking the cow, riding the tractor, or enjoying the sunset or local places."
Lynn is a member of a Prince George Facebook group that shares good news and local photography. In February 2019, she was scrolling through it and several stunning photos caught her eye. Lynn noticed they were all by a photographer named Anna Michele McCue, who goes by Michele. Lynn reached out to Michele right away.
"We didn't have a big budget for this, so I was hoping we could work something out," says Lynn. "Michele got back to me right away. She loved the idea of connecting residents with their communities. She offered her pictures at no cost!"
Thanks to Michele's generosity, nine pictures are now hanging throughout Gateway Lodge.
"I'm so pleased that my photography is bringing joy to people," says Michele. "Seniors, who have contributed so much, are an important part of our community. It means the world to help remind them of how they lived, what they accomplished, and what they enjoyed."
Michele isn't the only one who's pleased. These trips down memory lane are getting rave reviews from Gateway residents as well.
“They add beauty and colour to our empty walls,” says Margaret, a resident of Gateway Lodge. “We all enjoy finding out the location of where a photo was taken.”
Lynn notes that other Northern Health long-term care facilities may see local photography on their walls in the future.
Comments