Music in care homes.

We are lucky in that we have tapes and CDs recorded by the various bands (pop, rhythm & blues, standards, Ceildh, Steel drum) that DH played in. Bittersweet to listen to them when many of the band members are long gone but the music lives on.

gillyknits the antiquated rubbish you refer to was the music that was around when the majority in care homes today were young. When today's 40 year olds ie year 2056, may need care!!!yes none of us are exempt from the aging process/getting old,it will be Adele,One Direction etc etc and the like that these old folk will be singing along with.

As I noted in my post, my Mum does not like music, she is totally tone deaf, and just hears noise. She did not want to take part in a sing-a-long on music she did not like.
Her brother died in WW11 and my father fought throughout, it is not a memory she wishes to remember.
When she refused to attend the sing-a-long, my cousin recieved a phone call saying she was 'behaving in an anti-social manner'.
She was not, she was quite rightly making a personal choice, wasn't she?

Sorry, can't stand listening.

Depends on the age of the person don't you think.? I can remember the end of WW11 before rock and roll descended upon us It was Bing Crosby, Ann Shelton Vera lynn and my favourites the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Millers band although he was lost during the war.. I have a Glen Miller cd. When I am feeling particularly low with the present events of the 21c I put this cd on.Can't stand listening to some of the wannabees these days who sound like cats in pain.

The only thing that an elderly relative in a care home remembers is all the old songs she used to sing.
She knows no-one or nothing else, but if anyone sings to her it brings a smile to her face and she tries to sing along with them.

That's a great idea Daddima. I'll get my favourites on an I-pod and sit with my headphones on during the sing-a-longs!

www.playlistforlife.org.uk/#2946

These guys are doing great work in Scotland, so maybe gilly might want to start making her playlist now!

It's so patronising, like people saying ' they will be happier with people their own age '
I don't like everyone who is 70 but do enjoy the company of some younger folk.
When I worked with adults with a learning disability it was often said ' they will be happier in a place with their own kind ' like they were a separate species - grrr

I so agree, when my Mum went into the care home she was 90, she doesn't like music anyway and complained loudly about having to listen to all that old rubbish. Pointing out that she was not born until 1919 so what made them think she would want to listen to it.
For once we did not cringe with embarassment at her comments.