Langley woman launches Christmas card campaign for seniors in care

LANGLEY (NEWS 1130) – A Langley woman is hoping to brighten spirits for seniors in care, as they navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming holidays most likely without their loved ones.

She’s launched a Christmas card campaign and needs the public’s help to make it a success.

“You know, I was just trying to think of what I could do to bring that excitement back to them,” says Danielle Axton, the memory living manager at Chartwell Langley Gardens.

“I have visions of us sitting around a table and opening the cards together and then putting them on the wall for everybody to enjoy and reminisce.”

She tells NEWS 1130 her idea started “small,” reaching out to family and friends to see if they’d be willing to take the time to write up a card.

“And it took off. It really took off. We’ve had really, really, a really great amount of feedback and of people wanting to do this to help our residents — which is great,” Axton says.

The residents are aware this campaign is in the works. Axton notes writing and receiving cards is a big part of the Christmas tradition for the generation of people living at Chartwell, and hopes this will help bring some much-needed cheer around the holidays.

The pandemic has taken a major toll on residents in care homes and a new campaign is encouraging you to send some Christmas cheer — in the form of a card.
This morning, we are talking with Danielle Axton at Chartwell Langley Gardens about her heartwarming idea. pic.twitter.com/bXXphKsPy2

— Amanda Wawryk (@AmandaWawryk) December 11, 2020

The retirement campus has more than 300 residents. And while the facility would love the cards, she encourages you to reach out to your local retirement home as well to see if you can spread some cheer there.

“This pandemic has really hit our seniors quite hard and so let’s share the love and spread the love, the more people that get benefit from these, the better.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit long-term care homes particularly hard throughout Canada.

If you’d like to take part, Axton encourages you to write a general letter to all residents in the home so they can share the joy together.

“I want us to do it as a group because then the conversation gets going, those memories start flowing … it’s really beneficial for residents who are living with any kind of cognitive impairement to reminisce and get your brain thinking about those things that you used to do,” Axton explains.

There’s no limit to how many cards you can send. You can send them to:

Chartwell Langley Gardens
c/o Danielle Axton
8888 202 St.
Langley, B.C.
Canada
V1M 4A7