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Senior Living Community Combines the Power of Music with Childlike Wonder

May 13, 2020

BRENTWOOD, TN–It’s no secret that COVID-19 has changed the world, but Tennessee-based senior living community, Wickshire, has set their focus on the one other thing Beethoven said could change it: music. Where one vulnerable population waits and listens, the other will dance and sing. A sound echoes from the halls of each Wickshire community, one so sweet and innately familiar to its senior listeners: children’s voices lifting spirits, one resident at a time.

Sing Us a Song – Songs for Seniors is a program launched by Wickshire Senior Living to promote the idea that when everything is changing, where everything else may fail, music can be the ultimate catalyst for joy, empowerment, strength and healing. More importantly, it is a foundation for community. Music unifies and it reconciles, especially in assisted living, a place where COVID-19 has impacted human connection the most.

The Wickshire Way is not about age, it’s about life. It is a relationship-centered approach to uplifting residents, families, associates and neighbors to live their best lives. It’s a way of making life better by connecting people, by drawing in and by fostering community. Wickshire has decided to launch this campaign with that very way in mind: by calling on community. They just need your family’s favorite song to get started.

The program works by parents recording their children singing their favorite happy song and texting the word ‘Wickshire’ to 72727 to receive a link that allows them to upload their video directly to Wickshire.  They can also visit www.wickshireseniorliving.com/sing to upload their video. As to not contain the magic, Wickshire will also be uploading the videos to their website as well as sharing on social media for many to hear and – if just sweet enough – sing along to.

Where words run off, music begins. It has been a source of therapy in not just assisted living communities, but schools and a multitude of other places for quite some time. Sing Us A Song blossomed from the research that backs the notion that music has the power to move, to connect and to heal. According to the Harvard Medical School’s publication Harvard Health Publishing, music can improve medical outcomes and quality of life in restoring loss of speech, reducing side effects of medical therapies (such as chemotherapy), aiding in physical therapy and rehabilitation, pain relief and dementia. But what about the side effects of COVID-19? Does music have the power to heal this kind of emotional suffering? Psychology Today notes that research says yes.

Music can spring forth the times each senior has lived through, including right now, and the people they shared those times with. Songs can often do a better job of storing memories than our brains probably ever could. Wickshire is looking to put the residents and the sweet music of children together, as it can add up to the story of their lifetime.

To unveil their program and celebrate everyday community heroes all at the same time, Wickshire hosted a breakfast bar and provided free breakfast across all of their communities to all local essential workers, city leader, education professionals, first responders in the community including, but not limited to, all law enforcement, EMT and fire fighters. They started the day off right and gave back to those who have already given so much to the community. In addition, Wickshire didn’t want to miss a single senior in need by also providing a free breakfast to-go option for the first responder to deliver to their doorstep.

While the negative effects of COVID-19 can get overwhelming, it is very important to Wickshire as a company that they don’t downplay the kind of mark that this pandemic will leave on society, but contribute in the healing by providing a light of hope and a message of encouragement to all residents. With you and your family’s help, Wickshire can continue to do exactly that. From the mouth of your child can spring a well of positivity that pulls residents from their isolation and fear into a new day of sunshine, songs and child-like laughter. It is in this unprecedented time that they need your outpouring of support and compassion the most, and you can help by sending in the song of your family.

Wickshire’s relationship-centered approach puts residents at the center of everything they do. Everyone has, at one time, experienced the magic of being a kid and Wickshire knows every child has a soundtrack. Emory Austin, author and speaker, said it best: “Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.” Wickshire’s hope is that you capture your child’s soundtrack, the song of their heart and, with a little help from the residents, they will sing anyway.

If you are interested in sending over a video of your child singing a favorite song for Wickshire’s residents, please text ‘Wickshire’ to 72727. You will receive a link where you can upload the video or you can visit www.wickshireseniorliving.com/sing to upload your video directly. See examples:

(Hahn, Age 10) https://vimeo.com/413307521

(Chase, Age 4 and Ryder, Age 9) https://vimeo.com/413605694

(Giorgia, Age 5) https://vimeo.com/413606889

Wickshire is a new option in senior living, offering independent living, personal care and memory care. With plans to extend across the southeastern states, Wickshire is community focused and purpose driven. Wickshire’s Independent Living provides monthly rental apartments for seniors who want a service-enriched retirement lifestyle, free from household chores and maintenance – all while enjoying a full spectrum of activities, clubs and entertainment. Wickshire’s Personal Care provides supportive services that are available 24 hours a day to meet scheduled and unscheduled needs in ways that promote dignity and independence for each resident and involves the resident’s family, friends and physician. Wickshire’s Memory Care is built on the philosophy of daily programming for residents in addition to the residential setting and the basic assisted living services. Positive reinforcement and encouragement are always essential and stressed in staff interaction with residents.

 

 

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