Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 That was very sweet. May I ask, how do you entertain at the retirement centre, besides poems. I am interested b/c I too, volunteer at an Adult Mentally Handicapped Centre at the hospital..I help them with sports activities, such as pool, bowling (only plastic pins and balls), and I read them short stories...We sing songs and they clap their hands and they love it. I am ashamed to admit, I haven't been there for several months, (only visited at Christmas time to take them all homemade cookies)), b/c with Fibro, I haven't been up to it. My husband's sister was there for several years until she was placed in a nursing home due to a leg amputation..She is only 41. That is how I got involved in the first place... How rewarding it is. I commend you on your thoughtful act of kindness Marsha.. Love and Hugs, Carolyn in Canada. >From: " Marsha Cole " Reply-To: To: Subject: > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:11:36 -0800 > >Friends - I send the " below " to be fun and uplifting - it's not a religious >statement and I would not purposely offend anyone in their individual >faiths. I used this today when I entertained at a retirement center - and >it seemed to please the residents - anyway, I think they expected the > " Traditional Footprints poem " and were a little " blind-sided " but amuse by >this one. I'd love to give someone a smile today - Marsha > >THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO GET TO THE TOP OF AN OAK TREE. > >1. YOU CAN CLIMB IT 2. OR YOU CAN SIT ON AN ACORN >------------------------------------------------------------- > > " BUTT-PRINTS " IN THE SAND.... > >ONE NIGHT I HAD A WONDROUS DREAM ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS -- BY ME - WAS SEEN >THE FOOTPRINTS OF MY PRECIOUS LORD BUT MINE WERE NOT ALONG THE SHORE > >AND THEN SOME " STRANGER " PRINTS APPEARED I ASKED MY LORD, " WHAT HAPPENED >HERE? " THOSE PRINTS WERE LARGE AND ROUND AND NEAT " BUT LORD - THEY ARE TOO >BIG FOR FEET. " > > " MY CHILD " - HE SAID IN SOMBER TONES " FOR MILES I CARRIED YOU ALONE I >CHALLENGED YOU TO WALK IN FAITH BUT YOU REFUSED AND MADE ME WAIT > >YOU DISOBEYED - YOU WOULD NOT GROW THE WALK OF FAITH YOU WOULD NOT KNOW SO >I GOT TIRED - I GOT FED UP AND THERE--I DROPPED YOU ON YOUR BUTT! " > >BECAUSE IN LIFE - THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ONE MUST FIGHT - ONE MUST CLIMB >WHEN ONE MUST RISE AND TAKE A STAND OR -- LEAVE YOUR " BUTTPRINTS " IN THE >SAND. " > >ANONYMOUS > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 That was very sweet. May I ask, how do you entertain at the retirement centre, besides poems. I am interested b/c I too, volunteer at an Adult Mentally Handicapped Centre at the hospital..I help them with sports activities, such as pool, bowling (only plastic pins and balls), and I read them short stories...We sing songs and they clap their hands and they love it. I am ashamed to admit, I haven't been there for several months, (only visited at Christmas time to take them all homemade cookies)), b/c with Fibro, I haven't been up to it. My husband's sister was there for several years until she was placed in a nursing home due to a leg amputation..She is only 41. That is how I got involved in the first place... How rewarding it is. I commend you on your thoughtful act of kindness Marsha.. Love and Hugs, Carolyn in Canada. >From: " Marsha Cole " Reply-To: To: Subject: > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:11:36 -0800 > >Friends - I send the " below " to be fun and uplifting - it's not a religious >statement and I would not purposely offend anyone in their individual >faiths. I used this today when I entertained at a retirement center - and >it seemed to please the residents - anyway, I think they expected the > " Traditional Footprints poem " and were a little " blind-sided " but amuse by >this one. I'd love to give someone a smile today - Marsha > >THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO GET TO THE TOP OF AN OAK TREE. > >1. YOU CAN CLIMB IT 2. OR YOU CAN SIT ON AN ACORN >------------------------------------------------------------- > > " BUTT-PRINTS " IN THE SAND.... > >ONE NIGHT I HAD A WONDROUS DREAM ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS -- BY ME - WAS SEEN >THE FOOTPRINTS OF MY PRECIOUS LORD BUT MINE WERE NOT ALONG THE SHORE > >AND THEN SOME " STRANGER " PRINTS APPEARED I ASKED MY LORD, " WHAT HAPPENED >HERE? " THOSE PRINTS WERE LARGE AND ROUND AND NEAT " BUT LORD - THEY ARE TOO >BIG FOR FEET. " > > " MY CHILD " - HE SAID IN SOMBER TONES " FOR MILES I CARRIED YOU ALONE I >CHALLENGED YOU TO WALK IN FAITH BUT YOU REFUSED AND MADE ME WAIT > >YOU DISOBEYED - YOU WOULD NOT GROW THE WALK OF FAITH YOU WOULD NOT KNOW SO >I GOT TIRED - I GOT FED UP AND THERE--I DROPPED YOU ON YOUR BUTT! " > >BECAUSE IN LIFE - THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ONE MUST FIGHT - ONE MUST CLIMB >WHEN ONE MUST RISE AND TAKE A STAND OR -- LEAVE YOUR " BUTTPRINTS " IN THE >SAND. " > >ANONYMOUS > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 That was very sweet. May I ask, how do you entertain at the retirement centre, besides poems. I am interested b/c I too, volunteer at an Adult Mentally Handicapped Centre at the hospital..I help them with sports activities, such as pool, bowling (only plastic pins and balls), and I read them short stories...We sing songs and they clap their hands and they love it. I am ashamed to admit, I haven't been there for several months, (only visited at Christmas time to take them all homemade cookies)), b/c with Fibro, I haven't been up to it. My husband's sister was there for several years until she was placed in a nursing home due to a leg amputation..She is only 41. That is how I got involved in the first place... How rewarding it is. I commend you on your thoughtful act of kindness Marsha.. Love and Hugs, Carolyn in Canada. >From: " Marsha Cole " Reply-To: To: Subject: > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:11:36 -0800 > >Friends - I send the " below " to be fun and uplifting - it's not a religious >statement and I would not purposely offend anyone in their individual >faiths. I used this today when I entertained at a retirement center - and >it seemed to please the residents - anyway, I think they expected the > " Traditional Footprints poem " and were a little " blind-sided " but amuse by >this one. I'd love to give someone a smile today - Marsha > >THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO GET TO THE TOP OF AN OAK TREE. > >1. YOU CAN CLIMB IT 2. OR YOU CAN SIT ON AN ACORN >------------------------------------------------------------- > > " BUTT-PRINTS " IN THE SAND.... > >ONE NIGHT I HAD A WONDROUS DREAM ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS -- BY ME - WAS SEEN >THE FOOTPRINTS OF MY PRECIOUS LORD BUT MINE WERE NOT ALONG THE SHORE > >AND THEN SOME " STRANGER " PRINTS APPEARED I ASKED MY LORD, " WHAT HAPPENED >HERE? " THOSE PRINTS WERE LARGE AND ROUND AND NEAT " BUT LORD - THEY ARE TOO >BIG FOR FEET. " > > " MY CHILD " - HE SAID IN SOMBER TONES " FOR MILES I CARRIED YOU ALONE I >CHALLENGED YOU TO WALK IN FAITH BUT YOU REFUSED AND MADE ME WAIT > >YOU DISOBEYED - YOU WOULD NOT GROW THE WALK OF FAITH YOU WOULD NOT KNOW SO >I GOT TIRED - I GOT FED UP AND THERE--I DROPPED YOU ON YOUR BUTT! " > >BECAUSE IN LIFE - THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ONE MUST FIGHT - ONE MUST CLIMB >WHEN ONE MUST RISE AND TAKE A STAND OR -- LEAVE YOUR " BUTTPRINTS " IN THE >SAND. " > >ANONYMOUS > _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 Carolyn... I began just walking in and plunking on the piano for 45 minutes. My back to the audience. But that first day - I realized that to make any difference, I had to make it a " piano-bar living room " atmosphere where we sing together--I play songs and sing them and they sing with me. I stop and tell stories - or read something like the below. If I feel a " down bunch " - sometimes I just stop and ask them how they're doing. I carefully choose songs depending on what's working that day? Waltzes? Kids songs? Silly songs? Since I'm an ear player - I rely on word lists - not music. So I treat it just like an hour " party for the girls " altho' I have some men that come. I'm very accessible. And I always try to go touch everyone there - in some way. I thank them for coming. I do joke with them - anything to bring them UP. Music is the basic " tool " - it's really music therapy. There are tests done as to how people in various stages of dimentia react to certain types of music, etc. In many instances w/waltzes? Heart rate decreases and anxiety goes way down. The hardest battle I've fought and WON here? To let me have the audience to ME. No food served. Please, no conversations. I " lose them " w/too many distractions. I'm not just playing songs for the heck of it. I'm working to bring them out of the dark for a time - back into life. Music is just the way to do it. And the genuine care I have for them that they feel. I " fly by the seat of my pants " a lot? But I've established trust and they do understand that they HELP ME TOO? This isn't something that you give - you make a circle of giving. They benefit from me - I certainly benefit from them. It's therapy for me too. I've learned to " feel " the audience and have different techniques to " quiet the anxious " - get a pleasant and fun atmosphere happening. It's about " connecting. " And I've known for a long time that I'm really more of a therapist than I am a musician. And a friend. A true friend. I love doing it. I always come home " better " than I left...Marsha > That was very sweet. > May I ask, how do you entertain at the retirement centre, besides poems. > I am interested b/c I too, volunteer at an Adult Mentally Handicapped Centre > at the hospital..I help them with sports activities, such as pool, bowling > (only plastic pins and balls), and I read them short stories...We sing songs > and they clap their hands and they love it. > I am ashamed to admit, I haven't been there for several months, (only > visited at Christmas time to take them all homemade cookies)), b/c with > Fibro, I haven't been up to it. > My husband's sister was there for several years until she was placed in a > nursing home due to a leg amputation..She is only 41. > That is how I got involved in the first place... > How rewarding it is. > I commend you on your thoughtful act of kindness Marsha.. > Love and Hugs, > Carolyn in Canada. > > > > >From: " Marsha Cole " Reply-To: To: Subject: > > Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 16:11:36 -0800 > > > >Friends - I send the " below " to be fun and uplifting - it's not a religious > >statement and I would not purposely offend anyone in their individual > >faiths. I used this today when I entertained at a retirement center - and > >it seemed to please the residents - anyway, I think they expected the > > " Traditional Footprints poem " and were a little " blind-sided " but amuse by > >this one. I'd love to give someone a smile today - Marsha > > > >THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO GET TO THE TOP OF AN OAK TREE. > > > >1. YOU CAN CLIMB IT 2. OR YOU CAN SIT ON AN ACORN > >------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > " BUTT-PRINTS " IN THE SAND.... > > > >ONE NIGHT I HAD A WONDROUS DREAM ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS -- BY ME - WAS SEEN > >THE FOOTPRINTS OF MY PRECIOUS LORD BUT MINE WERE NOT ALONG THE SHORE > > > >AND THEN SOME " STRANGER " PRINTS APPEARED I ASKED MY LORD, " WHAT HAPPENED > >HERE? " THOSE PRINTS WERE LARGE AND ROUND AND NEAT " BUT LORD - THEY ARE TOO > >BIG FOR FEET. " > > > > " MY CHILD " - HE SAID IN SOMBER TONES " FOR MILES I CARRIED YOU ALONE I > >CHALLENGED YOU TO WALK IN FAITH BUT YOU REFUSED AND MADE ME WAIT > > > >YOU DISOBEYED - YOU WOULD NOT GROW THE WALK OF FAITH YOU WOULD NOT KNOW SO > >I GOT TIRED - I GOT FED UP AND THERE--I DROPPED YOU ON YOUR BUTT! " > > > >BECAUSE IN LIFE - THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ONE MUST FIGHT - ONE MUST CLIMB > >WHEN ONE MUST RISE AND TAKE A STAND OR -- LEAVE YOUR " BUTTPRINTS " IN THE > >SAND. " > > > >ANONYMOUS > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com > > > > SEND POST TO: fibromyalgia-cfs > > HOME PAGE:http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Oaks/7127/fibromyalgia-cfs.html > LIST OWNER: " Missy " Parrot004@...> > UNSUBSCRIBE:fibromyalgia-cfs-unsubscribe > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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