Created nearly four years ago with support from Toyota TogetherGreen, by Connecticut's Bent of the River employee Ken Elkins, and Randy Griffin a Dementia Care Specialist, Bird Tales is a therapeutic program that uses multisensory stimulation and the natural world of birds to help people living with dementia interact with their environment and share a meaningful experience with others. Observing birds through sight, sound, smell and touch can encourage staff and family interactions, even in elders with advanced dementia and lift their mood for the rest of the day. The Bird Tales program, will be implemented by Pickering Creek's Volunteer Coordinator and Educator Samantha Pitts with the Integrace Communities of Bayliegh Chase (formerly William Hill Manor), Buckingham's Choice, Copper Ridge and Fairhaven.

Samantha Pitts and Ken Elkins are also working with Bayliegh Chase leaders to improve the quality of bird habitat on the campus, incorporating practices like organic lawn care, and landscaping with native species, identifying locations for bird houses and possibly creating a nature trail for residents to explore nature.