In a nursing home in Eure, they found a magical method to give residents a voice

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This year, the operation is called Click Planet. “The objective is to allow residents and caregivers of three nursing homes to have access to culture and art” explains Frédérique Repecé, coordinating executive.

Through the photographs of Patrick Forget on the planet and the memories of the inhabitants of the establishments of Rugles (Eure), Verneuil-sur-Avre and Breteuil, the idea is to “break isolation to encourage sharing”.

“Involve them in co-construction”

The exhibition of around twenty photos from the Terre Fragile association for residents, their families and caregivers, sparked reflections and memories in Rugles first, the first stage of the operation which continues on both other institutions until April.

Through Patrick Forget's photographs, the aim is to promote the inhabitants, to involve them in a co-construction of which they will be proud. This project mobilizes words, memories, experiences, feelings. It also refers to the news that residents follow, such as the floods in Valencia for example.

The exchanges around ecology and the environment between residents, healthcare staff and the artist caused synergy and enriching dialogues.

“It allowed us to get to know them better” confides Alexandra, group facilitator of eight residents “particularly invested” in the operation.

Create connections and learn from others

Since the start of the work, the group's life functioning has continued to change. The people did not know each other well before, they did not have lunch together for example and since the photos, they were able to create a bond and learn from each other

In fact, “we also confide more, it’s enriching to share about the climate, the world, it allows them to know us better too, we communicate well” concludes Alexandra.

Water, fire and waste

With Virginie, psychomotor therapist et Alexis, physical education teacherthey form a small group determined to create a radiant understanding and a quality dialogue with this small group of “elders”. Who selected, with the photographer, four prints around water, fire and waste.

“They tell us how they lived when they were young, how they moved around, used water, fed themselves,” explains Patrick Forget, who raises his voice to ask the question to his neighbor Pierre, an elegant 90-year-old gentleman, “it’s well that Pierre? “.

The 1950s

“No,” Pierre retorts, “I'm 97 years old and I'm galloping on my 98, which I hope to catch up with! » . The dean of the assembly resumes.

The 1950s, after the war, were very decisive with the arrival of the Traction and the Quatre CV and then everything happened very quickly, too quickly.

Around the table, having eaten lunch, the four men and four women are preparing to devour their slice of cake.

Marguerite, the centenarian, recalls the deprivations, “we ate what we could”.

Jacqueline continues. “My father had a large vegetable garden and he grew his vegetables. And then there was rabbit hutchesthree boxes down, three boxes up, my mother took care of it.”

On foot and by bicycle

Thanks to his photos, Patrick explores the depths of the memory of his “spectator-actors”. First of all, everyone says, “the photos are beautiful, very beautiful”.

But above all, they allow them to talk about what affects them, to talk about the planet, its ills, their pleasure in having known and practiced it differently, on foot, by bicycle.

In small groups of two to three, they talk to the camera about their lost world.

Images help them to verbalize. They bring up sensations, emotions, information.

“We are cutting down too many trees”

Patrick films their faces, and records their fears or their anger.

The sentences click, “the children don't realize because they haven't known the planet before”, or even “we're cutting down too many trees”, “it's our fault, we're not paying attention”, without take into account that “the Earth gets too hot, it will end up melting”, and “the Earth will end up being sick”.

Growing the flowers

Sometimes, one of them slips in a message of hope, “we will never stop making flowers grow”.

It's pretty and positive. As long as it's true!

In the meantime, the photographer, thanks to the image, channels speech and memories, adjusts self-recognition and provokes knowledge of others.

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