In a nursing home in the Vosges, postcards arrive from all over the world to entertain the residents

A retirement home in the Vosges region came up with an idea to combat the isolation of its 70 residents: they asked people on social media to send postcards to the residents. Since then, thousands of letters have been arriving.

At 98 years old, Rosine’s fingers hurt a little, but there’s no way she’s not opening the last envelopes and the little notes they contain. “Lemon kisses from Menton, the city of lemons”she can read on a card. At her side, Geneviève, another letter in her hands: “Hello from the Southwest where life is good”. And that’s how it is every day at the Les Jardins de Cuvières retirement home in Thaon-les-Vosges.

Séverine Vautier, a gerontology care assistant, wanted to break the isolation of residents during the summer. “The idea of ​​this project was to send a small message on the networks to receive, why not, fifty or 100 cards. And now, we have more than 13,000 cardsshe says. It’s incredible, it gives you life again.”

“We had cards from California, Quebec, Slovenia, Algeria…”

Séverine Vautier, gerontology care assistant

to franceinfo

“It takes us around the world. All these landscapes are memories.”recalls Gilberte, 91, who recalls the holidays with her husband. “I had found a wonderful man. We did everything together. The grape harvest, Mont-Saint-Michel… even love, but after we were married!” she says to general hilarity.

Robin, the host, and Séverine are moved by “this surge of generosity”. Cédric Axair, the director of the retirement home, also mayor of the commune of Thaon-les-Vosges, also opens cards: “‘I caught a fish in the lake’, there you go, it’s a kid who must be called Tom.”