Residents at
Eastbourne House, residential and residential dementia care home, in Whitley Bay, have been getting their singing voices up to scratch.
On the afternoon of Friday 18th of February in Eastbourne House, Whitley Bay we tried a new activity with our Top Floor Residence – A karaoke of sorts but without the need to stand up alone in front of everyone as everyone else was happily singing along altogether.
Requests were asked for in advance however the Residents were reluctant as I think they were afraid that they might get singled out to sing alone (despite my reassurances).
The session started with the “Sound of Music” classic – “Doe a Deer” selected from YouTube “with lyrics” not that many of the Residents needed to see the words as they are so ingrained in most of our subconscious over the years that everyone joined in singing whole heartedly. The videos of the songs are the original footage from the original films some with dance routines that were mesmerizing.
I kept looking around at the Residents faces to see pure joy, they were transported back to times gone by. I am sure everyone had a story for each film clip. Some of them shared their memories with the group while I cued up the next song and they were heart-warming to hear, one lady’s first date to see “My Fair Lady” with a gentleman who worked in her office who later went on to be her Husband, hearing “I could have danced all night” brought it all back. Another lovely memory shared was of 2 best friends who re-enacted “A Couple of Swells” at their Youth Club Talent Show over 65+ years ago.
Gene Kelly performance of “Singing in the Rain” and the Flash Bang Wallop What a Picture routine of Tommy Steele and the Cast of “Half a Sixpence” had the Residents in awe. Most were unable to keep up with the verses, but they were more than happy to all chant out the choruses together.
In the end after two solid hours of back-to-back music with only short chats while the next song was prepared, I had to insist that I would need to save some songs for the next time. One lady said, “Please can we do it again next week!”
I was genuinely surprised at the reaction. I was sure that they would like the songs and maybe join in a bit but their faces while they were watching, and singing were amazing to see – pure joy!
Senior Lead, Dion Suniga, remarked, “It was lovely to hear Justine’s comments on how well this activity was received. Nothing gives us all more pleasure than seeing our Residents with huge smiles. It was only a shame that Justine’s phone was broken at the time, so she was unable to capture any photos!”