As of May 2022 we do not have a Long Term Care Facility in Ontario that is solely for residents under the age of 65. Canadians as young as 21 are joining communities with people older than their grandparents. Though they make up only 6% of the community there are over 5300 residents in Ontario under the age of 65. Younger people come into LTC because they need round the clock care that they can't receive at home. Often times there are physical, social, and economical reasons that impact the decision to move to LTC.
"Why did this happen to me?" Finding yourself in a peer group decades beyond your age group can bring on feelings of isolation. The pandemic has also furthered this when residents were not able to leave the facility. Most of their social interaction took place in other support groups outside the home. Neighbours could not even socialize with other younger residents on separate floors because of isolation protocols. The only exemption is if you were a smoker you would be able to go to a common smoking area.
My work as a music therapist in LTC typically looks like a round circle singalong with 6-12 residents. During the 45 min long session the group is given choices of instruments to play, and what songs we are going to try together. We have a wide array of shakers, drums, and other percusion instruments. If residents are capable we also have guitars, ukuleles, and pianos they could play. Most people take a shaker and sing along.
I usually find younger residents benefit form a wide range of choice, song style decade artist. They express joy when older residents join in with their song choices. Today one younger lady was telling me she liked when Mrs Not-even-close-to-her-age was bobbing her head to Lead Zeppelin's Kashmir.
Older residents with cognitive impairments have not done well with too wide of choice. Typically I ask would you like Country or Pop? Or what decade do you enjoy 50s, 60s? Building relationships and multiple sessions over time I have a good sense of what the group would like. For younger residents though, it is quite literally all over the musical landscape. Choice is something younger residents value. I always honour their choice. I once prided myself on being able to play everything live and on the spot. Now, if I don't know the song I suggest we pull it up on YouTube and play along. That has been a hard but important change.
Prior to the pandemic, we had a weekly group "Rock Band" that joined neighbours from every floor that would like to be part. It focused on classic rock songs from bands like Pete Seager, Tom Petty, The animals, Eric Clapton, We made 3 setlist all from the residents choices. Each week we would run a "Rehearsal" and socialize. I am looking forward to when we are able to meet again.
As part of the recreation team a music therapist works on providing an outlet for younger residents to express themselves. I reinforce choice, emotional and social needs. Music can express what the heart is trying to say. Having the right song at the right moment for the right person is wonderful. There are so many decades of great music, matching up someones prime era of music can be as simple as taking their birth year adding 16-20 and most likely that music will be their "decade" for the rest of their life. Be prepared for surprises though. I've known many a 65+ who know more modern music than I do.
I think it's important to show appreciation to other peoples music no matter what decade it is from. Every generation tends to say their music was the best and today's music is terrible. I have no place for that thinking in my make up, if it's the 1920's or the 2020's if it's my residents choice, it's my new favourite. I'm going to play it the best I can and lead them in a jam.
Joe Graham
Music Therapist Accredited
https://clri-ltc.ca/files/2019/01/Younger-Residents-in-LTC-Handout.pdf