Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes

Subject: Music for Seniors
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 22 Dec 16 - 07:49 PM

I find it very surprising I can not find a thread on Music for Seniors?
After all these years there must be a thread on this topic.

In the new year, I would like to perform more often in nursing homes, retirement & assisted living.

I would like to hear from others on their experiences in sharing music with the elderly,

Its been a long time :)
In deep gratitude for the guidance I have received at the Mudcat
Bonnie

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Dec 16 - 10:36 PM

HI BONNIE!!!

You can go to the main threads page, type "nursing" in the filter, set the Age to "all", and click refresh. I get 16 threads, some of which aren't probably relevant.

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: Jeri
Date: 22 Dec 16 - 10:39 PM

Or just look up there ^^^. I added this thread to a pre-existing group.

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 22 Dec 16 - 11:05 PM

HI JERI!!!!!!!! :)
Fantastic, thanks so much!
Bonnie

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: GUEST,Erich
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 03:08 AM

Is there a special kind of music for elderly people? I think everybody has his own preferences, why should this alter with age? I for myself started listening to folk music when I was 18. I still do with 62 now. But if you perform in nursing homes just ask if there are any requests, I think you may get the whole range of different tastes.

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 03:20 AM

I have a great time at nursing homes with silver screen cowboy songs, and "You Are My Sunshine" is a sure-fire hit - I sing it as a torch song. The ladies love it.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: banjoman
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 06:06 AM

We often play at nursing homes etc. and always find a very wide spread appreciation of the different genres of music which we play.
The usual sing along well known songs always go well.
best of luck

Subject: RE: Music for Seniors
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 08:52 AM

I didn't title this thread correctly.
I was looking for discussions on performing in retirement & assisted living communities.
Jeri was kind enough to lead me to the previous threads on this topic.

I am interested in hearing musician's experience of entertaining the elderly or playing music for people with Alzheimer's or cognitive impairment.

In the new year I will be singing traditional old-time folk songs & playing old-time tunes on my banjo, occasionally bringing along a fiddler or our entire Sweet Potato string band.

From what I've read so far on these threads it seems music the elders grew up with is best. That isn't exactly what I do but my music is definitely lively, uplifting & toe tapping, often with a catchy, easy chorus.

My topic thread should have read.....
Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes.....give it a go?

Hi Joe!
am I allowed to change my Subject topic?
Or should I start a new thread?

Bonnie

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: Jeri
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 09:29 AM

Bonnie, we can change the title for you, but it has to have 5 or 6 fewer characters. If it fits into the "Subject" block above the message window, it's short enough.

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: GUEST,DrWord
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 10:50 AM

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 11:13 AM

Oops ^that's me. Best of luck and bless you for sharing with the frail elderly. Been at it for 16 years. There are other threads here, 'tho it takes a bit of keyword searching. Most of the folk will appreciate whatever music you share, but the greatest resonances are with songs from their teens and twenties, when they were 'young and in love '. This will, over time, stretch your repertoire …
most old folks homes have one or another 'singalong' collections. Borrow a copy; ask staff about favourites; watch for tapping toes! Sharing music = positive feedback ~ the more you give, the more you get. 🎼I wish you every success in this venture
keep on pickin'
dennis

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 08:02 PM

I listened to the Sweet Potato String Band on YouTube. Is that your group doing a song about a $2 bill?

The song is so authentically blue grass that I can hardly understand a word. If you play in a nursing home, you need to alter your style so people recognize the piece and can understand the words.

Otherwise, you are in your own little world and they are in theirs.

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: BanjoRay
Date: 23 Dec 16 - 09:58 PM

There are TWO Sweet Potato String Bands. The one that sounds bluegrassy is three guys from Cardiff, South Wales, while I believe Bonnie's band is an excellent old time string band from Canada with a great sound and some very clear intelligible singing on the tunes with lyrics. If I was in an Old Folks Home in the not very distant future I'd love them to come and play for me!

Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 24 Dec 16 - 08:29 AM

Thanks for looking into our Sweet Potato String Band
& I immensely appreciate the encouragement.
We are the spuds from Canada
Sweet Potato String Band from Canada

I will be entertaining residence folks with my banjo on a regular basis in Ottawa, encouraging members of the band to join me when possible.

Bonnie

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 17 - 02:10 PM

Also a long-time player for clinical/LTC milieu. Yes the aspect which makes (fast) 'bluegrass' music often or typically unsuitable is its speed, meter, so forth. Having implemented and experimented with many types abd styles of music and instruments, I've been told by several sources over the years that my (fast) music is "too fast for them."

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Jan 17 - 03:08 PM

A friend from the San Francisco Folk Music Club was in a nursing home in Sacramento for about two years, until he died of Parkinson's Disease. A group of about a dozen of us sang for him at the home about every other month, and we drew quite an audience. Most of our music fit the "old time string band" description, and the audience really liked it. I've usually sung hits of the 1940s at nursing homes, so I was pleasantly surprised that the old-time music worked so well. A favorite was Guy Clark's "Home-Grown Tomatoes."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Old-Time String Band for Nursing Homes
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 11 Jan 17 - 09:28 AM

Thanks Joe!
Home Grown Tomatoes is fantastic
Perfect song for us Sweet Potatoes to add to our repertoire

Bonnie