Must watch video

[hammer]

I seldom post music on forums anymore but this is to good to not
post. I currently play 10-15 gigs a month at senior venues.  This is a
video of a gig at a memory care place.  My reason for posting this is to
show how awesome the staff is at keeping the residents involved.
This is the best staff involvement I have seen in 17 years of playing at
these places.  It is 9 minutes long but watch it all.

Deane

https://youtu.be/I48mSi0OTTs

[RoyceM]

Boy, Deane! This really strikes near to my heart! This is my life too, so much so that I got emotional watching your video.

After 17+ years playing for senior venues of all kinds, I find that it's increasingly rare that staff leverage my visits to add pleasure and stimulation for residents. I have only one activities person now who is truly absolutely excellent.

Years ago one activity person in our area hosted monthly gatherings of interested activity directors from all kinds of facilities in order to share resources, ideas, and to support each other in a non-competitive spirit. After that season, I began encountering more employees who seemed to have little clue or interest in adding value for the sake of their residents.

Keep up the good work, and great playing, Deane!!!

- Royce

[Rick D.]

Deane,

Thanks for sharing that, it is nice to see. My Mom was lucky to be in a nursing home that did the same thing for the residents.

Rick D.

[mikf]

That's very nice Hammer.
I have only played a few times at senior venues, and only in Scotland where it was unpaid, volunteer work. That was the the norm there. I took along a couple of fellow experienced entertainers/singers each time to make it easier, and we always turned it into a huge party. Staff and residents both. Everyone was up singing and dancing. It was great.
My favorite memory was one old lady in her nineties they brought in a wheelchair. She appeared to be asleep, totally out of touch, and they told us she hadn't walked or interfaced with anyone for months but they insisted on bringing her and sat her right in front. When we starred playing, she sat up, joined   started singing, along and within  a short time got up out of the chair and started trying to dance. The staff were completely dumbstruck.
Mike

[hammer]

 
Someone asked why I was wearing an eye patch.

My eye- Last November I had a Retina detachment.
December 20th it detached a 2nd time. They
Put an oil bubble in my eye. 3 weeks ago they
Told me the retina just was not re-attaching and
It looks like I have lost vision in my right eye. The
Oil bubble will stay in the eye which causes
Very blurry vision so I wear an eye patch to
Avoid messing up vision in my left eye.

Deane