Style and Smiles: Spreading Joy One Compliment at a Time

If you visit Ecumen Detroit Lakes, you may come across a group of women who look particularly fabulous. They’re not dressed up for a special occasion. This is how they approach every day, spreading beauty and joy to the community.

“It makes us feel good. It makes others feel better about themselves,” said Constance, one of the ambassadors for this initiative. “I just love it when people start feeling more optimistic about their days, looking forward to things instead of having a bad day or a ‘nothing’ day.”

Constance and her best friend, Kathy, are two residents at Ecumen Detroit Lakes who make a concerted effort to bring glamor to the halls of the community. They dress up each day, putting on earrings, jewelry, and perhaps some makeup. Most importantly, they bring positivity to each other and to others around the building.

“We make a point of complimenting other people, saying something nice to let them know we appreciate them,” said Kathy. “It’s a small thing but it can be important.”

“When you give someone a compliment,” added Constance, “even if they don’t feel well that day, maybe you can help them a little, to feel good about themselves and to maybe want to get out and mingle with others.”

Ecumen team members say this is the kind of activity that happens when residents feel empowered to contribute to the community in their own unique ways. In this case, the passion of a small group of women sparked interest from others. It has become so popular, they had to find a bigger lunch table to gather for their meals.

Constance credits Kathy with helping her embrace this approach to life.

“I had, I’m guessing, two years of just kind of fiddling around and looking frumpy,” she said. “I didn’t get my hair brushed up or I didn’t wear makeup or earrings. Life wasn’t nearly as exciting and colorful and creative as it is now, but Kathy helped me change my way of thinking to look forward to each day.”

Now the women say they feel good about encouraging others to let their own beauty shine.

“It’s just fun to try to make everybody feel good and it makes me feel good about myself,” said Kathy. “It gives me something to look forward to every day.”

“We reach out to new residents to let them know we want them to feel welcome and we like to see them,” said Constance. “Whether they wear lipstick or not, we want them to share their inner beauty and be comfortable showing who they are.”

Ecumen team members say the positivity of the group lifts the spirits of residents, visitors, and anyone lucky enough to interact with these amazing women.

Ecumen is helping older adults pursue their passions and use their skills. As part of a new initiative, Ecumen North Branch, Ecumen Pathstone, and Ecumen Detroit Lakes are implementing an innovative program based on the “Montessori method,” emphasizing residents’ interests and abilities rather than their limitations. This new initiative builds on Ecumen’s award-winning Awakenings care-giving model, which focuses on individual needs to support the highest quality of life. Adding a Montessori framework to this model is giving Ecumen team members new tools and resources to help residents find meaning and purpose in their everyday lives.