“Why do they always sing ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ when they’re entertaining older people? It’s about the last thing I’d want to join in with if I were sitting in a care home.” I’d been telling a group of friends how much the members of the Wednesday Group enjoy a sing-along when this remark was made. I knew what she meant; there is a tendency to think ‘Vera Lynne’ when we think of appropriate songs for the older generation. Although these songs have a place in our history and everyone knows them and can join in, they probably don’t have the same resonance with today’s elderly that they did with the generation before who were young adults in the war years. People in their eighties today are probably more stirred by Elvis, The Beatles or The Beachboys. It’s also important to recognise that we’re all different and have different tastes in music as in everything else.
Pat Hodges, who leads the sing-along sessions at The Wednesday (Memory) Group, knows this and doesn’t just think, ‘Elderly — Vera Lynne’. She takes the trouble to find out what songs members like and tries to ensure all tastes are catered for when she visits. The music we enjoyed in our youth can help us connect with happier, more exciting times in our lives and rekindle some of the joy we felt then. Pat’s programmes help us all to reconnect with our own, particular source of happiness.
For more information about The Wednesday (Memory) Group, or about Pat Hodges, please contact Jan on 01777 70997 and don’t forget Andy Jones is raising funds for Boccia equipment for the group. Please help us by donating via the Just Giving page, www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andyjones01. Every little helps!