Singing for Seniors
Christmas is officially over. The rush for presents and the chaos of family vacationing has diminished. Lights are being removed. Trees are being discarded or packed away for next year. Coats and mittens will remain for another couple months as winter continues.
One of the things that many people do during the Christmas season is caroling. Thousands of carolers roam the streets and hallways every Christmas. Nursing Homes are one of the most frequent destinations for carolers. They receive visits from carolers every Christmas because it’s obvious how much the residents love the songs. The seniors’ eyes light up when they hear the music. They remember good times and remember that they are not forgotten. Christmas is a great time to carol to seniors and talk to them. It’s humbling for us, and it gives the seniors a spark of light and cheer that they need.
This year I went caroling and came away with a touching memory that changed the way I look at the Christmas season and at our seniors. A group of friends and I sang a few Christmas songs in a sitting room with several onlookers. Amid the mass of people were two friendly ladies who clapped and sang along with us, their eyes glistening and smiles wide. When we finished and were beginning to leave, one of the interactive ladies in a wheelchair stopped us and thanked us for coming. She said that it meant so much to her — especially because her mother was a soprano a long time ago. If that wasn’t precious enough, she laughed, saying, “Please come back next year and sing. We love it so much. It doesn’t even have to be Christmas! You can come anytime.”
This might be old news to you, but this was a new idea to me. Why do we only sing to our seniors at Christmas? We say it’s because they’re lonely. Because they need cheer. They want company.
Well, all of that is true year-round, isn’t it. They love it when children come and interact with them. It reminds them of their own youth. It reminds them that people care about them. It is a selfless act simply to give them joy. All of the mentioned effects of caroling isn’t exclusive for Christmas. Why not sing in June? In August? Three weeks from now? The seniors will appreciate it more than we can imagine, whether they are able to express it or not. They’ll still be lonely in April. They’ll still need cheer and company. We can still provide it then.
So this is my challenge to you: Get a couple friends together and go to your nearest nursing home. Find some simple songs from their era or from yours — they will appreciate it either way. A lot of the residents of nursing homes have been around for some of our more major wars like WWII. Songs like God Bless America, Over There, Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree, and Bicycle Built For Two are from the time of their youth. These songs and others from the older decades will bring back memories for them. They will appreciate really any classic song from the past as much as they will love a hymn or cheerful song. Just your company lights their faces.
Christmas is a great time for caroling. Sing in your neighborhood, local hospitals, and nursing homes. It’s great to spread your joy around Christmas. But it doesn’t have to be the only time. Seniors love seeing young people. And singing makes it all the better.
So don’t wait until next year. Get out there and spread the music to our seniors!
