Celebrating Pride Month at every age

Lori Carlisle works every day to improve the quality of life of the residents at Fraser Health’s Eagle Ridge Manor long-term care home.

As the recreational therapist, she and her team provide programming to meet the individual and leisure needs of the seniors who call the manor home.

“This includes covering their social, emotional, cognitive, physical and spiritual needs,” she says. “Our population ranges from individuals in their fifties to those one hundred and five years old. We currently have six centenarians living here, which is very inspiring.”

With Eagle Ridge Manor being home to residents of varying ages, Lori focuses on providing diverse and inclusive activities for all residents to enjoy, including music therapy and art.

“Art is a great way for individuals to practice their fine motor skills and also express their creativity,” says Lori.

Earlier this month, she and her team set up a Pride art project for residents that included crafting with cut-out hearts and poster painting.

“It was a great opportunity for residents to come together and take part in a Pride-related activity,” she says. “We set them up for success by cutting out the hearts ahead of time so that they could be placed on the big poster board. For individuals who were able to paint, they decorated the smaller parts of the poster.”

During the activity, staff opened up the conversation about Pride Month and the importance of open, loving and inclusive communities. They encouraged residents to share their thoughts throughout the activity. 

“Everyone was very accepting and they were happy to be able to show their support through their art,” says Lori.

It meant a lot to her and her team to see the residents’ collective joy.

“I was so happy to see their genuine big grins as they completed the project,” she said. “It brought people together for a common cause, which is what we try to do every day – we try and build meaningful relationships throughout our Eagle Ridge Manor community.”