How do children and older adults living with dementia share ways of staying healthy during flu season?? We keep our hands clean through an interactive and energizing intergenerational music therapy session. Through Family Focus preschool and the Colonial Heritage Community Foundation supporting the Senior Champions Adult Day Care Program at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Williamsburg, VA.
We began our session with a deep breathing wellness exercise to allow more oxygen to get to our brain and to calm our heart rate. When the children joined us we welcomed them with our opening song “The More We Get Together.” We discussed the importance of Handwashing and is the best way to stop germs by keeping hands clean through washing our hands to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. We moved our hands to a modified song of “Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands” to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
Then the Shaker Bloxes made by Interactive Rhythm to a lively hello song while creatively moving to “Shake What You’ve Got.” Each senior champion and child paired to move, groove, shake, stomp, stack and tap our Shaker Bloxes together. They really enjoyed tapping various rhythms, tempo and stopping together on cue. To enhance community bonding, teamwork and problem solving skills, the senior champions and children built a wide tower with the shaker bloxes. The seniors enjoyed sharing their wisdom on the importance of having a firm foundation by starting with the large yellow shaker bloxes.
Then the Dr. Seuss Book “Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb” was introduced and invited everyone to clap their hands, wiggle their fingers and tap their thumbs as stated in the book. The paddle drums were incorporated for the same actions utilizing their hands, fingers, and thumb. Everyone loved the rhythmic beat of “dum, diddy, dum diddy, dum, dum, dum!” We also tapped an echo game to “Simon Says” … tapping louder, faster, softer, slower and finally STOPPING together on cue. Everyone enjoyed this energetic and empowering activity.
We closed the intergenerational reviewing the importance of hand-washing and “scrubbing our hands” with Hand sanitizer. This intergenerational music therapy program continues to create many special bonding moments, expressive communication between generations and smiles, youthful energy, JOY and friendship through bridging and connecting the generation gap with both populations. Wishing everyone a Healthy and Prosperous New Year! #luvservingwithmusic
