I spent my last six years as an entertainer working in old peoples homes. I regarded it, as the VERY best time of my life in the music business. Much better than my years as a slave of the music business. Though I'd had some success in other things, it was the one job, I could really do well. The staff in these homes used to compliment me, because I gave really animated enjoyment to people who were completely isolated, by their mental condition.

But that's how it is with humans - either your mind goes to hell or your body does. I think actually the mind is a better option - there are still enormous avenues of enjoyment to be had when your mind has gone walkabout. Whereas to die like my Mum did, fully aware of what was happening as the lights slowly went off seems unimaginably awful.


As somebody says - the songs are the key. When the mind goes, it retreats down very familiar pathways - scraps of knowledge and memory, keep surfacing. You don't need to go the expense of getting backing trax. But look for some cds of singalong stuff. Some market stalls have them. Try the net. Not stuff of their era. Rather stuff of the Jolson era and maybe the war era, for these are the songs that were sung to them as kids - maybe some of the more popular music hall pieces.. Max Bygraves does some not bad ones, but there even better ones.

Then you must learn these songs thoroughly - no use just shoving a cd player on and then sitting there like a pudding. then you perform them. You hold their hand as you sing them. Present them with a big smile on your face - I'm talking about a really aggressive pitch. I used to have to bound around the room, but you only have an audience of one. If they want to dance to the music - encourage that.

If you get it right, it triggers all sorts of wonderful things. mainly nice things, memories good and bad.

What I'm saying is - be pro-active. You have nothing to lose, and you may just give them something really nice. Something perhaps you never even suspected was there between you.

Anyway its always better to try something than be despairing. You can always do the despair thing - if that doesn't work.

best of luck

al