As the group grows in size the positive energy is increased and more people are singing. Often in these later moments, we will see people living with aphasia, singing with us, singing with the group, a simple word. Singing “Love” – over and over with both of us, and the entire group, encouraging each other. The room always changes after that song, like turning on the wake-up switch!
Activities are essential for residents and at Let’s Dance we know that as a Director you know exactly what your residents need! First, we want to say that we know you do things like Hollis did in this story all the time. We know that YOU, as a director, can make someone’s day and help them smile. Without YOU the residents would faller deeper into depression than they already do. We know that your work can sometimes go unseen but we want you to know, that we SEE YOU! Let’s Dance wants to honor every Activity Director!
As I squatted in front of her I begged for the answer, “What is the meaning of Life?” I looked her in her eyes and she said,
So Hollis invited him to dance with their words and an outreached hand…. the first time he didn’t respond. The second time, he reached out and took Hollis’ hand and immediately gave loving soft eyes to Hollis. Eyes can speak so deeply and hold many truths, and when Hollis has discovered such a softness within a person, it’s hard to resist revisiting throughout the program.
Anyone that has worked with groups KNOWS that is more than half the group is feeling happy & joyous the rest of the group follows suit. This group had over 40 individuals excited to sing, dance, exercise, and listen to stories that warm the heart and inspire the soul. The group goes from chaotic and ‘just another day’ to smiling, hugging, and singing. Activity directors get excited when they see their group happily exercising together and are moved when they witness their transformation into happy & joyous folks.
Let’s Dance engages them in a profound way leaving them in a wake of hugs, exercise, big smiles, and uplifted moods. We engage people that haven’t engaged in months with music that opens up the heart and a lifetime caregiver that approaches residents one on one. Even cognitive communities love to have us visit because they know they are supporting our visits to their peers in memory care units.
Everyone can afford Let’s Dance, a sliding scale makes it possible for Let’s Dance to visit all income levels. We ask that directors pay as much as the budget allows.
Let’s Dance offers a program that will be the highlight of these hard to reach residents monthly programming – a program that will draw out the smile from the bitter, a hug from the more distant person and a little boogie-woogie by even wheelchair-bound folks. At Let’s Dance, we just don’t know who will wake up or how they will interact. We are consistently surprised…
Let’s Dance engages folks that are usually difficult to engage.
Let’s Dance is excited to offer entertainment to communities with elderly, special needs, dementia residents and other people including those in wheelchairs. This entertainer is available in Oregon in Nov & Dec. – California in Dec. – Arizona in January. Let’s Dance is a non-profit and is in service to all income levels, please visit our website for more information including our calendar where you…
