Susan, Hear, hear!!!  People (facilities) pay for entertainment (and/or, in the case of things in the music therapy vein, getting the residents involved)--not for the music per se.  I'll be the first to admit that there are others out there who sing better than I, those who play their instruments more expertly, some who do both better, and a lot who are younger and better looking.  What I do is involve the audience--which is especially important when doing programs for folks with low-level depression, dementia, memory loss, etc.  And, of course, it's especially true with children.  If I can make them laugh, it's far more important than technical perfection.   Sometimes making them cry is just as good.

Mike, I already do a good deal of music for upscale retirement communities, as opposed to just nursing homes.  E.g., last Thursday I did a "Full Moon Concert" for The Gardens At Town Square in Bellevue, WA -- an outdoor concert and fancy hors d'oeuvres kind of party, with an audience of about 60 to 75 people (ages 30s to 80s, I'd say, since a lot of family members were there).  These bookings do pay more than the rehab. centers and nursing homes do, but they tend to book programs far less frequently.  I am most definitely interested, though, in expanding these and in adding more condominium, private party, travel club (whatever they are), "critter club," and coffee house/bar gigs.  I'll PM you more detail.  If you have a fax #, I'll fax you one of my flyers and some sample playlists.

Marion, what I meant by "follow up ASAP" is that if I finish a gig and folks are clamoring for me to return, I should call the activity director the next day and begin negotiations for the next booking, while folks are "still under the ether," as they say in the sales profession.  If that's not feasible, at least  it's a good idea to write, fax, or call to inquire about future bookings within the week after the gig.  In the music business, as in love, there definitely is the "out-of-sight-out-of-mind" phenomenon.  Plus, (I hate to say it) in the retirement home business, if you try to contact in December the audience that loved you in May, half of them may have died, or at least moved to a different facility, and the activity director along with them.  You really can have to keep 'reinventing the wheel' if you don't act in a very timely manner to build upon your successes.