“The beauty of the written word is that it can be held close to the heart and read over and over again.” – Florence Littauer.

It was this sentiment exactly that inspired employees at Tapestry at Arbutus Walk to create personal messages for every resident in the community. In late April, every employee was paired with a resident and asked to share an inspirational message of hope and affection to remind residents how much they are appreciated as the community has put in place significant protective measures against COVID-19, such as limiting visitation and moving food service to in-suite delivery.

Each employee created their own unique message for the resident they were paired with. Some employees wrote poems while others simply expressed how grateful they are for the resident’s kindness and patience during what has been a unique period managing through an unprecedented pandemic experience.

 

“The messages to residents are simply heart-warming,” says Suzanne Summersgill, Wellness Manager. “I knew that our employees would embrace this opportunity to connect with our residents, but I had no idea how much they would take this initiative to heart. Many of our employees decorated their messages in ways they knew would be meaningful to residents, like adding ‘bling’ to reflect a resident’s penchant for all things sparkly!”

 

Residents at Arbutus Walk were thrilled to receive their personalized notes with heartwarming messages, proving that nothing is quite as meaningful as a handwritten note.

“We really wanted our residents to know that we are thinking of them as we navigate this challenging time together,” adds Suzanne. “It was a labour of love that our entire team shared and just one more example of how much we treasure our residents and focus on creating personalized experiences at Tapestry.”

Suzanne is quick to add that while this project focused on pen and paper, technology has also been a very large part of how Tapestry at

Arbutus Walk has engaged residents during COVID-19. Tapestry residents continue to enjoy a variety of digital activities like kinesiologist-led virtual exercise classes and Zoom Spelling Bee’s.

 

“There is a role for pen and paper and technology,” says Suzanne. “We’ve embraced it all to create the memorable moments that our residents expect while living at Tapestry. It’s our pleasure and it’s what creates that unique Tapestry feeling!”