Prestige Assisted Living residents made and donated 24 blankets to the Flathead County Animal Shelter as a way to connect with community members outside of their senior community.

“These are people who love serving, and this was one way they could still do that,” said Sherry Mayeaux, the community relations director of the Prestige Assisted Living Kalispell branch.

Mayeaux said the project, which the residents completed April 21, was attached to Prestige’s life enrichment program. The program aims to introduce residents to a variety of jobs and people.

Mayeaux said many seniors feel isolated from everyday communities after they move into assisted living. Often, they have to leave behind daily tasks and, at times, household pets, she said.

Six residents visited the shelter to donate the blankets.

“They really intended to drop off the blankets and leave, but instead were given a tour through the shelter and loved on animals for the rest of their stay,” she said. “We came to help them, but the shelter went above and beyond to make our residents feel so special.”