By: Vanessa Woznow/Special to The News
Costume contests, pumpkin decorating, music, and connection brought residents, staff, and volunteers together for a special Halloween celebration at a Maple Ridge seniors facility.
On Monday, Oct. 31, the health care team at Baillie House, a Fraser Health long-term care home, organized Halloween festivities for the residents to enjoy.
“This year, we had many requests for Halloween festivities,” said Jade Tomlinson, recreational therapist supervisor, who has worked at Baillie House for 25 years.
“Our whole month was focused on fall and Halloween-themed activities – like arts and crafts, baking and trivia games,” she explained.
A big focus for Tomlinson and her team was ensuring all activities were equitable for, and accessible to all residents – regardless of their level of ability.
“We adapted the traditional pumpkin carving activities to be more inclusive by offering different options, such as painting the pumpkins, decorating them with props or using stickers. We then had a friendly competition between floors for who had the best dressed pumpkin,” she said.
Residents and staff also dressed in costume for the party and competed for best dressed overall and best dressed resident and staff duo.
There was homemade mulled apple juice, Halloween candy, and other spooky-themed treats.
“We also danced to Halloween music and enjoyed taking candid photos in our Halloween party photo booth,” added Tomlinson.
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The VolunTEENS, a group of local youth who visit with residents daily, in addition to volunteers from the site’s Code K9 program – people who bring their dogs to visit residents – also took part in the festivities.
In years past, noted Tomlinson, staff at Baillie House have invited a nearby preschool to trick or treat at each residents’ door. However, she said, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their intergenerational programming.
For Tomlinson, events like the Halloween celebration, are the building blocks of community that makes Baillie House a home for their residents.
“These types of activities bring the Baillie House community together and give everyone something to plan and look forward to. The residents get to relive memories of their youth and participate with younger generations. They are social and fun because they are inclusive of everyone,” she said.
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