A unique local program helps seniors in continuing care.

The executive director of Simply Compassion Advocacy Society, Debbie Dunwell says it involves framed mementos that are on the door to their room.

"One picture frame is for them when they were younger, because memory changes or when dementia sets in it's usually the path memories that remain the longest, so they may remember themselves in younger pictures but they don't remember as they are now," she explains. "There's one picture frame on their door when they were younger, maybe doing something that they enjoyed and then the other picture frame is for them now, what they look like now."

She says one woman she worked with had a picture of her when she was 14 with her horse Sonny and every time she goes by her room she's reminded of her horse and other people will ask her about him and she'll talk about how she used to drive cattle when she was younger.

Dunwell says it's bigger than just a picture frame, it involves bringing value to their lives because seniors lose so much of their independence when they go into care and it's a small way to show them how important they are.

The librarian at Dr. Morris Gibson school in Okotoks, Tracy Tuttosi says kids at the school have been making the frames to reach out and make the seniors lives better. 

"It's really important for our kids to reach out in the community and try to make a difference. I think it's really important for them to know that they're doing that and so we've done various projects and this picture frame project is just another example of that," Tuttosi says. "I have kids coming in at recess and and at lunch time and they make the frames and I think this, along with all the other projects we do, it just helps them know they're making a difference and they're making somebody's life better and I think that's so important."

Unfortunately, the long term care in Okotoks is unable to take any of the frames for their residents, so the group is approaching care homes and schools in Calgary to see if they would like to be involved in this project.  

The society has some frames that the kids made, and if you think your loved one who lives in a care home in Okotoks, would enjoy two of these, please contact Simply Compassion Advocacy Society. 

They'll even print the picture and either hang the frame or give it to the family hang.