Musical interlude - some respite in these troubled times

I thoroughly enjoy this sort of thing… no translations needed :wink::hugs:

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I love the pianos at stations! There’s one just outside the Eurostar entrance/exit which has often made my day.

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I so wish I could have had piano lessons. My feeble fingering is fun, but not for public airing.

How I wish I could sit down and let rip - these videos are such fun - in my head, I’m playing alongside them. :hugs:

Also, music is wonderful for elderly folk - something they never forget !

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Try looking for ‘My Dementia Choir’ on Youtube, it was heart warming.

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I just hope the activity coordinators move on from White Cliffs of Dover and Lambeth walk when I am “elderly”…I feel sorry for some residents in care homes that are treated as if they were only around in the 40’s, yet many now will remember the great music of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s etc

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I used to be part of a group who would entertain folk at the local Maison de Retraite. I was more in charge of the songbooks and seeing that folk were comfortable, until I could actually singalong with them.

Truly wonderful to see folk come alive and join in…

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I rather think that the songs will move with the times. That being said - one of my daughter’s favourite songs is a real oldie (for her age group).

“O what a beautiful morning” simply 'cos I had heard it as a child and would sing that at the top of my voice on every sunny day as I pushed her pram. By the time I was taking her to school - we would be singing it together.

If she ever “loses the plot” - someone singing that wonderful song will find her singing along - of that I have no doubt.

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Wendy, I’ve just had a smile and remembered one session. the songbooks offered a large choice and folk would often make a “request”.

One very hot day - a dear lady chose Vive le Vent - which we all sang with great gusto - she was convinced it was Christmas. :hugs:

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When I was working in rehabilitation units we found that people asked to hear more of the swing band type music and at one point I heard someone with Led Zep coming from their room!

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Music does not have an age or class barrier - does it…:relaxed::relaxed:

I like to think we could “re-hab” some of the oldies - but I fear they are past that point now. It’s mostly Alzheimer/dementia/whatever that causes them to leave their own homes.

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You are right, no barriers.
I was lucky to work as an OT in, (and later work with and manage 8 units) Kent County Councils Recuperative Care units) - small 8-10 bedded units taking people over the age of 55 (and the oldest was 101) for a spell of Intermediate Care - effectively a bridge between hospital and home. We used whatever “purposeful activity” that suited the individuals we treated - people having had falls, strokes, amputations etc through to suicidal depression after a bereavement, and a recovering alchoholic. We used everyday activities such as gardening, shopping, cooking and even had a tea dance and put on the Sound of Music in one unit with the clients all having some part in the preparation and delivery of the show, depending on their rehab goals. It was a last chance option and often the consultant geriatrician had said there was no hope of further recovery, but if the person wanted to try we were usually able to help them. All our clients would otherwise have ended up in residential care and we had a track record of 84% of people remaining in their own home for over 6 months, many I kept tabs on were still at home over 2years later. Sadly funding was pulled and those people would now not have a service to rehab them in that way. Ramble over - it was a service dear to my heart because it worked,

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Loved the piano recital! It beats organising a visit to l’assurance maladie ! A different song …

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I was singing this all afternoon!

I can see it now, the old folk sat round their home singing along to Take Your Daughter to the Slaughter and Highway to Hell. :slight_smile:

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Lovely calming music - I often have this on in the background as I potter around the house…

Wonderful… just what I need in these dark days…

Not everyone’s cup of tea,( not mine either) but we have the cellist in this video (Catherine Fleau) staying in one of our gites this week, and are being treated to a solo performance every evening😁

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wish she was staying at the gîte in our village… :slight_smile: