For the last few years of his life, my grandfather lived in an assisted living which was attached to a nursing home, the entire complex is called Chandler Hall. Chandler Hall is a community with Quaker values created to help the elderly get more assistance as they need it.
I would visit my grandfather at least once a week and always see other residents alone without family just sitting around. Sometimes there would be music on in the common space and we would walk into the room to see my grandfather, in his late nineties. dancing with some of the nurses or other residents, whoever he could get to dance. The other residents would always be smiling while the music of their time was on and would sing or clap along.
Not at Chandler but my Grandpa and Mom dancing
What I Did:
Chandler Hall often has activities for its members to participate in everyday and I decided I wanted to hold a free concert for any residents who wanted to come. Organizing a concert was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I had to communicate with Chandler Hall, find musicians that wanted to participate, choose the music based on the instrumentation I could get, organize and run rehearsals, make programs, and run the actual event. However, I loved it so much I went back and did several other concerts.
What I Learned:
While planning this event, I learned a lot about communication, as I had to talk with someone at Chandler all via email as well as plan with all the musicians when they could meet. I also learned about running an efficient rehearsal that allowed us to cover the material while actually improving on the material. This also included learning how to get the respect and attention from my friends that was required for the event to succeed.
At the event, I also learned about the power of music. When the residents came to the concerts they weren't necessarily thrilled to be there but they wanted to do something so they came. It was easy to see how the music changed the atmosphere and the audience ended up really enjoying the music, especially when it was tunes from their time or Christmas tunes everyone knows. By the time they left, everyone was smiling and glad they came.
Photo By: Jesse Kruger
Also, I learned about giving others the opportunity to perform their talents. Through the concerts, I was able to give my friends a chance to solo or do small group performances, which allowed them to showcase different pieces they were working, which they may have otherwise never gotten to perform.
Building off this, I learned about the importance of sharing your experiences of giving back with others. The first concert, we really didn't know what to expect. However, everyone who performed in the concert wanted to come back for the next concert. They told me how much they enjoyed the experience of helping the residents enjoy their day just a little bit more. At the end, we got to talk with some of the residents, which brings me to my final point.
Some of the residents told us we reminded them of their grandchildren, who they don't see get to see often, who play instruments. This was heartbreaking to me since I was there for weekly visits to see my grandfather. I beg of you, as your family members get older, don't leave them alone. Go visit and take them somewhere different. They were there for you your whole life, so don't desert them when they need you the most.
Have you ever done anything like this? Please share below!
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