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I go from a colourful world, full of life, into a chamber of grays. If you’ve ever walked through the halls of a seniors care facility, you can feel it immediately, the air feels still, almost as if the oxygen of life has quietly slipped away. Caregivers move quickly and tirelessly from room to room, doing their best to support the residents, while many of those residents sit silently, watching the world drift past them. It feels like a film where the main characters remain motionless while the scenes change around them.

I visit my brother often. He is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, and my visits are a combination of speaking to him, playing music he once loved, or simply sitting beside him. He was a vibrant joker and trickster, but those have faded into the past. But while I am there, over time, I’ve found myself talking with the other residents as well, today it was John, Stan and Richard, who brighten instantly when someone pauses long enough to say hello. Their hunger for connection is unmistakable. A few minutes of conversation becomes a lifeline to change up their day. Richard sat near the door with anticipation of being picked up for lunch. I was there for about 45 minutes and when I left, he was still ready to head out the door and it made me wonder if it was a dream of his, or was someone coming.

These visits have shaped my heart in ways I can’t ignore. They inspired me to create a short animated film called Lonely-Less. Even if I must personally fund it, I will as it needs to be shared. Thankfully, there are others who have been moved by the story, and together we’re exploring ways to bring this project to life. My heart breaks every time I walk into that care home, but I continue going, because presence matters.

Lonely-Less explores the emotional loneliness that so many seniors face every single day. The film follows an elderly woman living in a care facility. Her world exists almost entirely in grayscale, her room, her surroundings, even her daily routines feel colourless and repetitive. Beyond her window, life is vibrant and in colour. Beyond her door, people move with purpose and in colour. But inside her room, inside her spirit, there is only stillness.

The grayscale of her environment reflects her inner world, muted, forgotten, and quietly fading. She glances toward the door each day, hoping for something, anything, to break the monotony. One day, a small child runs past her room, startling her. Moments later, he returns, pauses, and gives her a simple wave. She waves back. A faint blush of colour begins to glow within her chest.

The next day, she waits. He comes back and this time stepping inside and offering a cheerful hello. When their hands meet, more colour fills her room and her heart. Over the next several days, with each brief but meaningful interaction, more colour returns. Eventually, her entire world shifts into vibrant hues. In the final moment, she rises from her bed, joins the boy and his mother, and together they walk through the doorway into a brighter world. The boy doesn’t save her. He simply sees her. And sometimes, that is all a person needs to feel alive again.

The film pairs beautifully with our partnership with Cycling Without Age – Cycling With Out Age, whose trishaw rides offer seniors moments of joy, movement, and connection, simple experiences that add richness back into their lives.

Lonely-Less is a reminder that even the smallest gestures of compassion can transform a life. In care facilities across the province and beyond, countless seniors quietly battle loneliness. This film shines a light on the truth that one meaningful connection can bring colour back into the darkest corners of the human experience.

Note: If you have any ideas to support this project, please let me know. It might be a company or companies that are looking at ways to be a part of this project. It might be a grant (I have tried but they are complicated and very strict). I need this to move forward.