In Celebration of Earth Day, senior champions and older adults living with dementia were energized, engaged, and empowered during several EARTHLY BEAUTY theme based Community Music Therapy programs in Williamsburg, VA.
After the opening wellness exercise, the senior champions moved to “Twist and Shout” with shakers blox and then connected to each others and moving together to make a complete circle, We discussed the power of the energy of the circle and that the sum of the group is greater than it’s individual parts. Then we transitioned into colorful and rhythmic boomwhacker activity, emphasizing the different sounds for the various lengths of the boomwhackers.
The senior champions transitioned into discussing the characteristics of EARTHLY BEAUTY; examples of internal and external ways of showing beauty. Rhythm sticks were introduced by tapping and reinforcing to the comments discussed earlier about EARTHLY BEAUTY. Then the senior champions worked together to build a beautiful object with the percussion instruments utilized…they made a colorful Lemon Tree with streamers and birds!
The seniors played “How Great Thou Art” on the tone chimes…it was so beautiful that Pastor Whitehead stopped by to listen and sing! Reflective comments from the groups included: “BEAUTIFUL, fabulous, relaxed, calm, peaceful, wonderful, great” #luvservingwithmusic . Also pictured is the tree from the individuals at Respite at Williamsburg United Methodist Church.
