If you cannot or do not want to install feeders, there is an alternative. The ornithology laboratory of Cornell University in the USA has put a camera in front of its feeders so we can see different species of birds coming and going live (sometimes accompanied by a squirrel). . To the right of the screen, there is a service for identifying birds. You must register your email, then confirm and access is free. You must enter the place (in this case Ithaca, USA), what the bird was doing (it was in the feeder). We must then choose between 4 sizes, then the colors and a choice of answers is given with a photo and a description. Easy enough. Binoculars and bird guides are not necessary anymore.

Other cameras have been installed in a variety of locations. For example, a camera in Texas is filming hummingbirds on adapted feeders.

I wonder if this could be displayed on the screens of the common room, the entrance or on a resident’s television set programmed by the residence …

On line or via the phone

Vent Over Tea is a free active listening service that pairs people who need to vent with a trained empathetic listener to chat. Normally, it is done in a local coffee shop; at the moment it can be held online or on the phone. Based in Montréal and founded in April 2015 by McGill psychology graduates, the goal is to provide a casual, confidential, and non-judgmental outlet for members of the community. 

Reservation is done online. Elders that must stay indoor could benefit from this service if they have access to the internet or if a member of their family or an employee of their residence could reserve for them.