It seems that we have until the end of January to present our wishes. But at the Enchanterie retirement home, east of Nantes, “happy new year”, “good health” and boxes of chocolates will be exchanged, and that’s good, at least until Easter. It must be said that thousands of handwritten letters, glitter cards and packages of all kinds accumulate in the office of the director of this structure, which houses 82 residents. “We still received 150 today,” smiles Anne L’Hostis, behind her mask. Fortunately, it seems to be calming down a bit… We had peaks of more than 4,000 per day! »
In total, more than 40,000 letters have arrived in this Ehpad since the son of the director posted on her Instagram account, barely a month ago, a call for solidarity as the end of the year celebrations approach. Four residents, among the most isolated, had agreed to pose for the chance to receive, perhaps, a mark of attention or two. It was without counting the magic of Christmas and the whirlwind of social networks… “It puts balm in the heart”, thinks Jacqueline Josset, who volunteered to read the letters daily to her neighbors, less able to do so. .
Marie-Micheline Orain, 95 years old and an imposing necklace of colored pearls, is one of them. “All these letters from children, it’s delicious for an old woman like me,” says the one who usually receives very few visits. They have very kind words, very affectionate, as if they really spoke to me. These cards, I think I will keep them for a long time! Jean-Claude Caillac prefers chocolates. So much so that, to avoid indigestion, it was decided not to give him the whole stock at once! Every day, he is also entitled to one of his many presents which were sent directly to him, including sweaters, eau de toilette, jams, and even an autographed album by the singer Soprano.
“We apologize for not being able to answer all”
In the large living room, where some take a nap while others watch Sophie Davant’s show, Raymond Cadeau is sorting. This 85-year-old man, who bears his name well, has offered his help in opening the many letters, in order to prepare for the collective reading sessions led by volunteers for the past few days. “A tsunami of human warmth, summarizes the one who devotes several hours a day to selecting the most moving messages. There are very simple letters, others where people tell us about their lives and their problems, transporting us to their family worlds. There are also words of support to give courage to our caregivers. Mail arrives from Thailand, the United States, Belgium, it’s wonderful. Say that we apologize for not being able to answer everyone…”
If the inhabitants assure that the missives will in any case all be opened and read to the end, the experience should not stop there. The mutual nursing home, managed by VYV3 Pays-de-la-Loire, already has other requests and projects. “A school contacted us to set up regular correspondence between students and residents,” says Anne L’Hostis. These intergenerational ties matter a lot, and are good for morale. »