ElderSong Publications, Inc. activities2008

2008 Newsletter Activities

VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATIONS

Got the mid-winter blues? Liven up the season with some special activities for Valentine’s Day. The day isn’t just for sweethearts. You can use the occasion of St. Valentine’s Day to reflect on love and friendship among family and friends. Although the conventional gifts are cards, candy, and flowers, you can show appreciation for the special people in your life with simple touches of sentiment.

Here are a few heart-to-heart ideas to celebrate this special day of love with your senior adults.

Define the word love. List synonyms for love. Encourage reminiscing about the many kinds of love, including romantic, platonic, and divine.

love

heart

Learn the story of Saint Valentine and the origin of Valentine’s Day. Ask: Why do we celebrate this special day? Pass out "Be My Valentine" cards. Ask participants to give some other names for Valentine, e.g., sweetheart, sweetie, true love.
For chocolate lovers, sample favorite chocolate treats: chocolate-covered cherries, Hershey’s Kisses, truffles, brownies, chocolate-covered strawberries.
Listen to the song "Puppy Love," performed by Paul Anka in 1960. Ask participants to define "puppy love." Encourage them to reminisce about their first love, a secret crush, or an infatuation.
Listen to the piano rendition of some old-fashioned love songs, such as "I Love You Truly," "Somewhere, My Love," "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," or "True Love."
Name some popular songs from the 20th century with "heart" in the title. (Examples: "I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen," "Ya Gotta Have Heart," "My Heart Cries for You," "If I Give You My Heart," "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," "Heart of My Heart.") Fill a small jar with small Valentine conversation hearts. Ask each group member to guess the number of hearts in the jar.
Display cutouts of symbols associated with Valentine’s Day: Cupid, doves, love knots, roses, red hearts/arrows. Discuss the meaning of each one.
Encourage group members to recall tokens of love or keepsakes they have received for Valentine’s Day. Display vintage lace doilies or handkerchiefs with lace trim and embroidered hearts. Ask how lace came to be associated with the special day.
Enjoy an old-fashioned romantic comedy movie, such as The Philadelphia Story with Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart.
Read Robert Burns’ "A Red, Red Rose."Ask: How is love like a red rose? Decorate with silk red rose petals.
Ask the ladies if they have ever been treated to a new fragrance on Valentine’s Day. Name some favorite vintage scents, e.g., Evening in Paris (remember the cobalt blue bottle?), Chanel No. 5, L’Air du Temps, Arpege, Miss Dior.
Host a Valentine Tea Party for grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. Encourage guests to wear red or pink. Serve heart-shaped cookies or scones and herbal teas.
Read some friendship stories or poems. Ask group members how they show gratitude and affection for best friends on Valentine’s Day. For some humor, watch an episode of "I Love Lucy" with best friends Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz.
Reminisce about special Valentine’s Day trips or getaways. Ask group members to name the 10 most romantic places in the world. (Try the trivia quiz on Paris, France, found later in this newsletter.)
Divide the participants into small groups around tables and play the popular card game Hearts. Snack on heart-shaped cookies.

The latest ElderSong catalog features a variety of resources, including books, games, CDs, and DVDs. Check out the new CDs by Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett - the perfect music for Valentine’s Day!

VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATIONS

Stir nostalgic memories of love and romance with some special music on Valentine’s Day. Love songs hold a special place in our hearts. Ol’ Blue Eyes will tug at the heartstrings. The 3-CD set Frank Sinatra: Greatest Hits features many of Sinatra’s hits from the 1950s and 1960s. Enjoy favorites such as "My Funny Valentine," "Young at Heart," "Love & Marriage," "(Love Is) The Tender Trap," and "All the Way." Share a sweet memory or two. Ask: How did you meet your spouse? What was your courtship like? Did you and your loved one share a special song?

You’ll win hearts with the 3-CD set Tony Bennett: The Good Life. The collection features 32 songs, including his trademark tune, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Other favorites: "Funny Valentine," "It’s Magic," "The Very Thought of You," "Just in Time," and "Who Can I Turn To?"

Looking for Valentine’s Day activities for memory-impaired adults? Promote conversation and connection in your group with the Two-Lap Book series. The second book in the series, Happy New Year to You! A Read-Aloud Book for Memory-Challenged Adults, features colorful illustrations and easy-to-read text about each month of the year. The book is full of comforting images such as celebrating the New Year, singing in the April rain, enjoying the flowers in May, going on picnics in August, and watching the leaves fall in October. You’ll find conversation starters at the end of the book as well as suggested songs for each month. Read the whole book or concentrate on a page or two, and then reminisce, laugh, and sing as you celebrate each month of the year. (Also available: The Sunshine on My Face [W3105], the first book in the series.

For February, you can use the illustration on celebrating Valentine’s Day to stimulate conversation on love. Song suggestions include favorites such as "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "Some Enchanted Evening."

For more help with memory-impaired adults, use the Family DVD in the Memory Lane series. This entertaining film will uncover a lifetime of love and special memories - times with family and friends. Nostalgic themes include Dating, Marriage, Babies, Child’s Play, Little Ballerinas, Baseball, Birthdays, Family Vacations, and Graduations. Familiar family events are presented in photo collections, home movies, and personal stories from seniors, all set to period music. Enjoy songs such as "Love and Marriage," "In the Mood," "My Favorite Things," "Baby Face," and "Rock Around the Clock." Reminisce about a particular family milestone - for example, dating - with scenes from Big Band ballroom dancing and a personal story of "love at first sight."

CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: ENTERTAINERS

Looking ahead . . . March is National Women’s History Month. It’s a good time to honor the accomplishments and contributions of women during the month. This issue of our newsletter focuses on the world of women in entertainment. There have been many notable females in showbiz - from radio, television, film, and theatre. Commemorate Women’s History Month with some activities related to the impact of their careers.

Here are a few suggestions to celebrate the lifelong achievements and talents of some memorable female performers (with a focus on the years 1930 -1970).

Listen to Ethel Merman’s signature song "There’s No Business Like Show Business" from Annie Get Your Gun or the song "Hooray for Hollywood." Ask participants to name words associated with "showbiz."
Define the concept "performing arts." Ask: Have you ever taken acting, singing, or dancing classes? Have you ever performed in an amateur or professional production? What is the hardest part of being a performer?
Display pictures of popular radio personality Kate Smith and reminisce about her impact on the American public during World War II (war bond marathons). Enjoy Kate’s rendition of "God Bless America." (See the Best of Kate Smith CD on the ElderSong website.)
Judy Garland is considered one of the world’s leading entertainers. Watch the beloved 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring the famous child star. Sing the theme song from the film, "Over the Rainbow." (See the Somewhere Over the Rainbow CD on the ElderSong website.)
Encourage participants to name some female stars who have made contributions to other fields of endeavor or been devoted to a particular cause. Examples: Shirley Temple Black’s role as an Ambassador to Ghana and later Czechoslovakia; Jane Fonda’s political activism in the Vietnam War; Audrey Hepburn’s humanitarian work as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
Display posters of the great jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Enjoy some of her recordings, including her 1938 hit song "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." Discuss why the "First Lady of Song" is considered a music legend. (Hint: 13 Grammy Awards)
Lucille Ball is considered one of television’s first great comediennes. Watch some episodes of her popular hit show, I Love Lucy. Ask: Why is Lucille Ball considered a TV icon?
Highlight Shirley Temple, a popular child star of the 1930s. View a 1930s Shirley Temple movie such as Little Miss Marker, Bright Eyes, or The Little Colonel. Learn some basic tap dance steps. Or listen to some of her radio hits: "On the Good Ship Lollipop," "Animal Crackers in My Soup," or "Goodnight My Love."
The envelope, please! Challenge your group to name the actress with the most Academy Awards for Best Actress. Answer: Katharine Hepburn, with wins for Morning Glory, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond.<.i>

Relive some of the glitz and glamour of 1950s Hollywood. Roll out the red carpet, display Hollywood posters, hang black and silver balloons, scatter star confetti. Look at glamour photographs of ’50s stars, e.g., Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner, Grace Kelly, and Natalie Wood. Share recollections of the fashions, movie costumes, and hairstyles of the day.

Watch the film version of Oklahoma!, which was choreographed by dancer and choreographer Agnes de Mille in the 1940s.

Reminisce about Broadway stars who had memorable leading roles. Examples: Carol Channing as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, Angela Lansbury as Mame, Mary Martin as Peter Pan, Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, or Ethel Merman as Rose in Gypsy. Ask: If you could play one character or role, who would it be?

Play Lena Horne’s version of the song "Stormy Weather," a hit in the 1940s. Read some biographical sketches of the popular 20th century entertainer, whose inspirational life led to a Kennedy Center Honors Award in 1984. Lena’s song "The Lady Is a Tramp" is on Leading Ladies Sing the Movie Classics CD, a featured product listed below.

Read the following list of words to you group: star attraction, box-office draw, bombshell, crowd pleaser, drawing card, big name, headliner. Encourage participants to name their all-time favorite female entertainers!

Reminisce about the popularity of entertainer Dinah Shore. (Hints: USO tours to Europe with Bob Hope; TV variety show; daytime talk show; hits songs such as "I’ll Walk Alone," "Dear Hearts and Gentle People," "Buttons & Bows"; major golf tournament.) Ask participants to sing the jingle she made famous on "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show." (See the USA in Your Chevrolet)

The ElderSong catalog is full of helpful resources to help you plan some activities related to Women’s History Month. A few of them are highlighted below.

CELEBRATE WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: ENTERTAINERS

Mention the world of entertainment, and Hollywood and Broadway often come to mind. Take your group on a nostalgic return to the golden age of Hollywood and celebrate the careers of box-office stars of the 1940s and 1950s. Movie-Star Portraits of the Forties is a collection of legendary photographs of movie stars taken during the decade. There are 106 stars in 163 full-page glamour photos, taken by leading Hollywood photographers. Captions with year, photographer, studio, and movie are provided. Some of the celebrities include Lana Turner, Humphrey Bogart, Kirk Douglas, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant, Vivien Leigh, Ginger Rogers, Gregory Peck, and more.

Also available from ElderSong: Film-Star Portraits of the Fifties, a collection of celebrity photographs from the 1950s. You’ll find publicity portraits of 114 major Hollywood stars - a total of 163 photos. Take a captivating look at box-office stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Katharine Hepburn, Rock Hudson, Paul Newman, Harry Belafonte, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, Doris Day, and Grace Kelly.

100 years of hilarious American comedy - that’s what you’ll get with the DVD set Funniest Moments of the Century. The six-disc collection features legendary entertainers of stage, screen, and television. You’ll enjoy appearances by comedians such as Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, and Danny Kaye, as well as the comedy teams of Abbott and Costello and Burns and Allen. Laugh along with segments from classic TV shows, like I Love Lucy and All in the Family. Chuckle at routines from Martin and Lewis and non-stop zingers from The Three Stooges and Jimmy Durante. Reminisce about favorites such as Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, Gracie Allen, and Mae West.

The DVD collection includes the following titles: 100 Funniest Moments: Favorite Moments of the Stars; 100 Funniest Moments: The Unexpected; 100 Funniest Moments: Slapstick; The Golden Age of Comedy: The ’20s and ’30s; Great Stars of Film and Radio: The Fabulous ’40s; and TV Comedy Classics: The ’50s and ’60s.

Spend the afternoon enjoying the sound of stars of the screen and the recording world. The CD Leading Ladies Sing the Movie Classics features 10 great songs that hit the silver screen in the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. The soundtrack includes "Get Happy"/Judy Garland, "The Lady Is a Tramp"/Lena Horne, "Too Darn Hot"/Ann Miller & Cast, "Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man"/Ava Gardner, "Aba Daba Honeymoon"/Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter, "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe"/Susan Hayward, "It’s a Most Unusual Day"/Jane Powell, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"/Kathryn Grayson, "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads"/Ann Blyth, and "Where the Boys Are"/Connie Francis. The songs are from legendary motion pictures such as Summer Stock, Kiss Me Kate, Show Boat, and Words and Music.

REMEMBERING GENTLE SPRING BREEZES

What comes to mind when you think of a glorious spring day? Do you think of clear blue skies, warm sunshine, and gentle breezes? The promise of springtime is right around the corner, so it’s time to plan for some seasonal activities with your senior adults.

How does the arrival of spring make you feel? What colors do you see? What sounds do you hear? What fragrances do you savor? Here are some sensory activities to evoke nostalgic memories of a balmy spring day. You can adapt them to the needs of your group - or add your own to the mix. Happy Spring!

Read William Wordsworth’s poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," which describes his encounter with a field of daffodils "fluttering and dancing in the breeze." Display a bouquet of fresh daffodils.

Display a collection of wind chimes - bamboo, metal, stained glass, and wood. Listen to some of the soothing melodies created by the chimes. Name a favorite place to hang a chime, e.g., indoors in front of a window, from a beam on the front porch, or from the branch of a tree in a garden.

Ponder the meaning of the weather proverb "In like a lion, out like a lamb."

Invite a bird lover to talk about the return of migratory songbirds in the spring, such as orioles, thrushes, and warblers. Ask: How do you attract and feed birds in your backyard?

Listen to Antonio Vivaldi’s "Spring" concerto from The Four Seasons as you read a poem about spring. Talk about the signs of spring in the music.

Reminisce about flying a colorful kite on a breezy spring day. Make a homemade paper kite. Describe the sensation of walking in the warm sun and feeling the tug of the kite upon the string. (Or, catch a cool breeze with a spring windsock.)

Show pictures of Monarch butterflies and ask participants to plan a flower garden that attracts butterflies. Hang a butterfly mobile for the group to enjoy.

Reminisce about a 1940s spring washday. Pass around old wooden clothespins and a rope clothesline and talk about line-dried clothes. Ask: Can you still see the sheets flopping in the wind? Did you enjoy the clean cotton smell?

Show pictures of the classic convertibles of the 1950s, e.g., Oldsmobile 88, Chevrolet Bel Air, Ford Thunderbird, Pontiac Bonneville. Ask participants to describe the appeal of the convertible on a balmy spring day (wind in your hair, sun on your face).

Display some dandelions, some with the yellow flower and others that have gone to seed. Ask: Did you ever blow fluffy dandelion seeds in the air and make a wish? Chat about folk use of the dandelion for medical and nutrition benefits.

Display a collection of spring nature photography, e.g., pictures of a gentle breeze blowing springtime tulips or passing through willow trees into fields and meadows of wildflowers. Look at spring flowers through a magnifying glass and describe the tiny flower parts.

Hang some old lace curtains and ask participants to describe the experience of opening the windows in your house on the first warm day of spring. Ask: Did you enjoy the fresh air, laden with the scent of spring? What are some of your favorite spring aromas?

Display pictures of hot-air balloons as you listen to the 1960s song "Up, Up and Away," recorded by musical group The Fifth Dimension. Ask if anyone has ever taken a hot-air balloon ride or a glider ride.

Reminisce about bubble-blowing sets from the 1940s and 1950s - bubble pipe, soap dish, and a cake of soap. Have some fun blowing bubbles.

Ask baseball fans: What makes opening day so special? How do you feel as you see our country’s flag fluttering in the breeze? Pass around mini-flags and sing the national anthem."

Need help planning more springtime activities? The ElderSong catalog is full of resources to welcome the new season. Check out a few of them below, including the newest ElderSong trivia book, Finishing Lines,

REMEMBERING GENTLE SPRING BREEZES

The gentle breezes of spring often bring the sound of sweet music. Relax as you listen to the soothing tones of wind chimes. Capture the unique sounds with Ambient Wind Chimes. The CD contains two tracks. Track 1 offers the continuous sounds of wind chimes; Track 2 features wind chimes placed outdoors on a summer day with the occasional sound of chirping birds. The CD is a great reminder of a serene day with the tinkling of chimes.

Brighten your spring day and warm your spirit with some refreshing piano music. The Quiet Heart Music CD Wind Beneath My Wings features pianist/arranger/composer Henry Wiens. Wiens delivers inspirational piano performances of 10 songs, including "Wind Beneath My Wings," "All I Ask of You," "You’ve Got a Friend," "You Raise Me Up," "Lean on Me," and more! Pass around the song lyrics to "Wind Beneath My Wings" and talk about the message of the song. Ask participants to reflect on how they have been a source of inspiration to another person. How did support allow that person to "soar"?

Blue skies, balmy weather, warm ocean breezes - it’s time for the sailboats to be on the water again. Embark on a relaxing journey with Scenic Cruises of the World from Reader’s Digest Classic Collection. You’ll experience a dream sailboat cruise around the world’s coastlines to more than 20 countries and islands. You’ll learn about native cultures and meet the locals. Enjoy three fascinating programs on one DVD:
Majestic Americas: Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, the sunny beaches, lush forests, and mountains of the Caribbean, Guatemala, the Panama Canal, Big Sur’s coastline and Alaska’s wilderness.
Romantic Europe: Norway’s fjords and ports, Scotland’s lochs and glens, the Rhine’s castles and medieval cities, France’s Loire and Rhone rivers, Gibraltar’s caves, Greece’s beaches, the Nile in Egypt.
Exotic Islands: Chile’s coast of Tierra del Fuego, Easter Island, Tahiti’s paradise, New Zealand’s mountains, forests, and cities, Australia’s rainforests and outback, Fiji’s emerald seas, and Hawaii’s surf.

CELEBRATE FITNESS MONTH

Warmer weather and longer days provide more opportunities for physical activity. Whether you walk, run, garden, bike, or swim, physical activity is important for all ages. May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. It’s a good time to focus on the fitness activities of older adults. How can you encourage activity and fellowship among your group members - and have some fun in the process? This edition of the newsletter will offer some suggestions to get your group moving and interacting.

Let’s begin with a few activities to stir up some nostalgic exercise and sports memories. (Note: Some of the suggestions are adapted from the ElderSong resource, Barbers, Cars, and Cigars: Activity Programming for Older Men, a featured product for the month of April.)

Exercise muscles with some laughter. Play the legendary Abbott and Costello baseball comedy sketch, "Who’s on First?" - first heard on Kate Smith’s radio show in the late 1930s. Serve a baseball snack, like soft pretzels with cheese and mustard or mini- corndogs with Coke. Reminisce about the game from the perspective of a player, coach, or spectator.

List action verbs related to physical activity, exercise, or sports, e.g., walk, run, bike, dance, stretch, jog, or bowl. Ask: Did you ever dance for physical fitness? Show us some of your best footwork.

Reminisce about games you played as a kid in your backyard or at school, e.g., Red Light/Green Light, Kick the Can, Red Rover. Ask: What do you remember about the rules or rhymes? Which games required the most movement?

Share recollections of field days at school (also known as "sports day"). Ask: Did you ever participate in an egg and spoon race, sack race, three-legged race, tug-of-war, or fifty-yard dash? Did your class receive a prize or trophy?

Sing some popular sports songs. Suggestions: "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "Heart" (from the musical Damn Yankees), "Notre Dame Victory Song," or other college fight songs.

Ask participants to name their favorite individual sports, e.g., bicycling, golf, tennis, swimming, or horseshoes. Ask: Which sport activity did you like to play as a child or teen? Did you develop a passion for a particular sport - for example, running - as an adult?

Share memories of day-to-day physical activities in your family (e.g., running the vacuum, gardening, washing the car, mowing the lawn). Ask: Has technology helped or hurt family fitness? How did you build exercise into your daily routine?

Reminisce about participating in youth team sports in high school or college. Ask: What did you learn about teamwork, sportsmanship, or competition? What life lessons did you learn from playing team sports? Wave a team pennant, sing a fight song, or wear a team hat.

Ask group members if they ever participated in a charity event, in which they ran, walked, biked, or bowled to raise money for a special cause. Describe the experience.

Define the word athlete. Ask: Did you ever consider yourself an athlete? When? Are great athletes made (with lots of special skills training) or born (with natural talent)?

Sample some wellness foods, like seasonal berries or other fresh fruit.

Watch a favorite sports movie, e.g., Chariots of Fire, The Pride of the Yankees, or The Boys of Summer, the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Share memories of group fitness activities, such as joining an exercise class or health club, playing intramural sports, or participating in a sports and recreation program at the YMCA. Ask: What are the advantages of exercising with family and friends? Did you enjoy meeting new people?

Reminisce about attending a big sports event, like the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby, World Series, Rose Bowl, or Olympic Games. Ask: Did you ever have the opportunity to witness a major sporting event, like a playoff or championship game? Describe the experience.

Share experiences of participating in sports activities with children, either as a coach, recreational sports program volunteer, or Scout leader.

For more help planning some fitness activities, check out the spring ElderSong catalog. We’ve highlighted a few helpful resources below.

CELEBRATE FITNESS MONTH

Celebrate with fitness, fun, and friends! Check out the newly revised and updated version of Barbers, Cars, and Cigars: Activity Programming for Older Men. Included in the resource are eight reminiscing sessions (with themes such as Boys and Their Toys, The 1960s, Television, Entertainment, and The World of Work) as well as ideas for games, sports, cooking, current events, intergenerational programming, discussion groups, service projects, and more. Chapters titled "Sports" and "Active Games" will help you plan some fitness activities throughout the month. You’ll find suggestions for sports props, sports trivia, discussion questions, and active sporting ideas. Activities to encourage physical exercise (e.g., walking program, senior Olympics, dart game, bocce ball game) are highlighted, as well as suggestions for organizing the outings.

Many senior adults enjoy exercising with a buddy or two. For group senior fitness fun, use the two compact disks Jumpstart for Seniors: Piano Music for Fitness Enjoyment and Volume II. Both Volumes I [W4061] and II [W4602] provide melodic music for an exercise routine for older adults, with tempos set for warm-up, middle, and cool-down stages. Your group will enjoy the easy-moving rhythm of songs such as "Sentimental Journey," "What a Wonderful World," "Shine on Harvest Moon," "As Time Goes By," "Stardust," and "Somewhere My Love." Make up your own routine to Wally Clark’s music, and enjoy gentle exercises to maintain your health.

Senior fitness programs often incorporate exercises for balance and coordination. One program, which includes a physical component for people with dementia, is Movement with Meaning: A Multisensory Program for Individuals with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease. The program combines gentle dance movements, yoga-inspired poses, and breathing exercises with music suggestions, poetry, and sensory activities. The resource will show you how to establish a Movement with Meaning program at your facility, including how to select participants and organize a nurturing environment. There are step-by-step instructions for each activity, with 100 photographs and four 30-minute sessions described in detail. You can learn how to customize sessions for individual participants in order to stimulate physical, mental, and sensory awareness.

REMEMBERING MARCHING BAND DAYS

Everybody loves a parade! Spectators - young and old - enjoy colorful floats, strutting horses, classic cars, military units, fire trucks, clown brigades, and marching bands. Bands are a part of the American tradition, and their familiar music is likely to trigger many memories. Who can forget the sounds of a marching band delivering a rousing rendition of "The Stars and Stripes Forever"? Ask: What was the occasion? Were you with family and friends? How did the music make you feel?

There are a number of upcoming patriotic holidays, so it’s a good time to enjoy some activities on marching bands and their special brand of music, including marches and other patriotic tunes. Here are some suggestions to "strike up the band" and enjoy the occasion. (Note: Some activities are adapted from the ElderSong resource I Hear Music, a featured product for the month.)

Show a nostalgic photograph of a band and play sounds of a marching band outdoors. (Use I Hear Music, which features a photograph of three band members in uniforms playing on a city street.) Ask: Do you enjoy listening to marching bands? Name some occasions on which you have seen or listened to a marching band, e.g., parade, patriotic or political event, football half-time show, or pep rally.

Display an old high school band uniform and band sheet music. Ask: Did you ever play in a school band? Did you ever march in a special parade? Did your band enter any competitions? How difficult is it to march and play an instrument at the same time?

Invite a music teacher to demonstrate some of the instruments in a marching band. Ask: What instruments are used in a typical marching band? What is your favorite instrument to watch? Did you ever learn to play a musical instrument? Who taught you to play the instrument? Challenge your group to name instruments in the percussion, brass, and woodwinds families.

Reminisce about town parades in the 1950s and 1960s, featuring Drum and Bugle Corps sponsored by the American Legion and VFW. Describe your favorite hometown parade with a community band. Wave small American flags and sing "You’re a Grand Old Flag."

Play some of John Philip Sousa’s march music ("The Stars and Stripes Forever," "El Capitan," "Washington Post March") and march in place. (Use the CD John Philip Sousa: All-Time Favorites, which features the music of the "March King." See below.)

Watch the 1962 movie musical The Music Man, featuring the song "76 Trombones."

Reminisce about college marching bands and their inspiring half-time shows and pep rallies. Ask participants if they are familiar with the "Big Ten" or "High Step" marching style. Enjoy a CD of popular fight songs, such as "Anchors Aweigh" - U.S. Naval Academy, "The Victors" - University of Michigan, or "Notre Dame Victory March" - University of Notre Dame.

Show photographs of the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps. Invite a historian to speak about the role of military music in the American Revolution. Listen to a fife favorite, "Yankee Doodle."

Listen to the official march of America, "The Stars and Stripes Forever." Share favorite memories of the Fourth of July holiday. Ask: What kind of patriotic music did you hear as you were growing up?

Highlight "The President’s Own," the United States Marine Band, founded in 1798 as a band of fifes and drums. Enjoy a CD of their marches and patriotic tunes. Ask participants to describe how the music makes them feel.

Host a party with a patriotic theme. Here are some suggested activities as part of that: Don Uncle Sam party hats; decorate bikes or wagons with red, white, and blue; strike up a band by marching with noise makers; compose an original patriotic song or poem; eat classic picnic foods; challenge your group to an American history trivia quiz.

Listen to Louis Armstrong’s rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In." Talk about the city of New Orleans and its rich tradition of jazz marching bands.

Learn some basic marching steps and conducting gestures from a local marching band drum major.

Ask participants if they enjoy marching bands with baton twirlers and majorettes. Arrange for a baton twirling demonstration.

Listen to the show tune "Strike Up the Band," composed by George and Ira Gershwin. Assemble a "kitchen band" and parade around the room.

For more ideas in planning your music and reminiscing groups, check out the latest ElderSong catalog. We’ve highlighted a few helpful resources below.

Continue to look for upcoming editions of this newsletter the last week of the month. Our newsletter contains useful information to make your job of working with older adults more fulfilling. In this issue, you’ll find:

REMEMBERING MARCHING BAND DAYS

Music can transport us back in time and evoke special memories. ElderSong’s multi-sensory resource I Hear Music: Sharing Memories of Music Through Vintage Sounds, Historical Photographs, and Discussion Materials is uniquely designed to trigger musical memories. The three-part set features 20 topics for reminiscing, including Singing at Home, Family Band, School Band, Church Music, Music at Camp, Square Dancing, Theatricals, Radio, Patriotic Music, Ballroom Dancing, Swing Dancing and Big Bands, Juke Box, and more! Simply pass around a photograph, play a musical excerpt from the CD, and ask the questions given in the activity guide. The resource includes the following items:

Compact disk with 20 sound vignettes, about a minute each;

20 historical black-and-white photographs that correspond to the sounds;

Activity guide with discussion questions, song and prop suggestions, and related activity ideas for the 20 music topics.

Of special interest for this month’s theme of marching band days are sections on School Band, Patriotic Music, and Marching Bands. Sample School Band discussion questions: Did you play in a band at school? At what age did you start? Did your family or the school provide the instrument? Did you ever attend band camp? What do you remember about your band director? As a bonus supplement, you’ll find music trivia and music humor to round off a reminiscing session.

If you’re looking for some patriotic toe-tapping music for your group, try the 3-CD set John Philip Sousa: All-Time Favorites. Sousa was a conductor, composer, and arranger of American band music. During his career, he led the U.S. Marine Band and his own civilian band, the Sousa Band. The "March King" will have participants on their feet, clapping and cheering! The CD features America’s national march, "The Stars and Stripes Forever," and other favorites such as "Washington Post March," "El Capitan," "Hands Across the Sea," "Zampa Overture," "You’re My Baby Medley," "High School Cadets," "The Pathfinder of Panama," "Light Calvary," "The Blue Danube Waltz," and 26 more!

Ready to explore new ways to add music to your activities programming? Try some music games and trivia. The resource Say It With Music: Music Games and Trivia features 28 music trivia quizzes, 5 match games, 27 musical games, and 7 music activities. Trained musicians as well as those without any musical background can use the activities. Here’s a sample of the quiz titles: Claim to Fame, Clues to Musicians, Music in History, Theme and Signature Songs, Classical Music Trivia, Musical Nicknames, and What Song Is That? Add some fun with some music games and activities: Singo or Musical Bingo, Kitchen Band, Musical Pictionary, Musical Wheel of Fortune, Musical Spelling Bee, Name That Tune (with 10 variations), Memories of Music, and lots more!

You can adapt some of the music games to fit the theme of marching bands. Try Music Instrument Charades (pantomime the playing of a marching band musical instrument); Kitchen Band (assemble a band from items found in the kitchen and accompany with march music); Name That Tune (play excerpts from patriotic music and challenge participants to guess the name of the song).

CELEBRATE NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH

During the hot summer months, ice cream is a popular treat. The bar, the cone, the stick, or the sandwich - they’re all a delight to children and adults. In 1984 President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July to be National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday (July 20 this year) as National Ice Cream Day. This issue of the ElderSong newsletter features some activities to celebrate the tasty dessert and elicit some nostalgic family memories associated with a generational favorite - ice cream.

Make a batch of homemade ice cream, using a simple recipe that requires no special equipment. (See ice cream recipe in It’s IN the Bag Cookbook, a featured product for June.) Ask: Did your family ever make homemade ice cream using a hand-crank freezer? Did you ever add fresh berries of the season? Share some of your summertime berry-picking adventures.

Show an old photograph of children licking ice cream cones. Ask: Why is ice cream one of America’s favorite desserts? What was your favorite ice cream treat as a child? Where do you remember buying ice cream?

Define "sweet tooth." Ask: Did you ever satisfy your sweet tooth cravings with ice cream? What other sweets do you enjoy?

Reminisce about the Baskin-Robbins ice cream stores of the 1940s. Remember the "31" flavors and pink spoons? Ask: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Least favorite? Most unusual?

Share recollections of working in a soda shop or ice cream parlor. Display an old soda jerk uniform. Make simple white paper hats for your group. Serve ice cream sodas or floats, using tall glasses, soda spoons, and straws.

Hold an ice cream taste test, using various brands of the same flavor. Talk about the differences in texture and flavor and vote for a favorite. Or, hold an ice cream flavor-guessing contest.

Display vintage ice cream collectibles, such as scoopers, fluted sundae dishes, ice cream molds, or sherbet glasses.

Plan an intergenerational ice cream social.

Reminisce about one of the sweet sounds of summer: the Good Humor Ice Cream truck with bells and uniformed drivers. Sample a Good Humor Ice Cream Bar.

Name some popular ice cream makers, e.g., Ben & Jerry’s, Carvel, Dairy Queen, Good Humor, Haagen-Dazs, Schwan’s, Baskin-Robbins. Ask: Which of these ice creams have you enjoyed? What are the differences between these ice creams? Which do you like best?

Sample other types of frozen desserts, such as custard, sherbet, gelato, sorbet, yogurt, granita, or spumoni. Talk about the texture/taste of the treats, compared to regular ice cream.

Share memories of 1940s/1950s neighborhood ice cream parlors. Ask: Did you prefer family-owned ice cream parlors to national chains such as Friendly’s? Were the ice cream shops considered social centers in the town? What do you remember about the soda fountain, jukebox, and large booths?

Sample soft-serve ice cream and talk about a favorite: Dairy Queen. Ask participants if they enjoyed walking up to the ice cream window and placing their order. Did they prefer the drive-through service?

Listen to the song "I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream," by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians.

Set up a make-your-own sundae bar, complete with toppings, sauces, syrups, whipped cream, and cherries.

The ElderSong catalog is full of helpful resources to celebrate the ice cream season. Check out a few of them below.

Continue to look for upcoming editions of this newsletter the last week of the month. Our newsletter contains useful information to make your job of working with older adults more fulfilling. In this issue, you’ll find:

CELEBRATE NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH

Looking for some tasty summertime treats to prepare with your group? You’ll find a simple recipe for Ice Cream in a Bag as well as favorites such as Fruit Cobbler, Creamy Fruit Dip, Strawberry Muffins, and Peach Griddlecakes in It’s IN the Bag Cookbook by Marion Thomas. The book contains recipes that can be served without a lot of mess or fuss. All ingredients are mixed in a reclosable plastic bag, providing a clutter-free and sanitary environment. Recipes can be prepared with the use of portable equipment such as a toaster oven, electric frying pan, and a hot plate. Over 70 simple recipes for appetizers, muffins & quick breads, main dishes, desserts, and candies are included in this novel book.

Remember sharing an ice cream cone with your children on a warm summer night or trying the newest flavor at the local ice cream shop? Many senior adults were busy raising families in the 1950s, but they managed to find the time for some old-fashioned fun. The Reader’s Digest DVD The Fabulous 50s: The Fun and Feel of America’s Dream Decade will provide your group with an overview of American culture and history in the Fifties, when television became the new medium of the home. You’ll relive the days of suburbia, Elvis, I Love Lucy, Thunderbirds, and Ike and Mamie Eisenhower. Enjoy music from the decade by Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Liberace. Hear from celebrities such as James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, and Bogart & Bacall as well as TV personalities, sports heroes, and entertainers. The DVD includes coverage of world and national events such as President Truman and the Korean War, the elections of 1952 and 1956, McCarthyism, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, the opening of Disneyland, the launching of Sputnik, and more!

One of the delights of grandparenthood is sharing an afternoon of fun with the grandchildren. Ask participants to recall a favorite activity, such as baking cookies or buying some ice cream from the Good Humor man. Chicken Soup for the Grandparent’s Soul: Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Grandparents will stir up nostalgic memories among group members. Your find stories of love, humor, and wisdom grouped under themes such as The Joys of Grandparenting, A Grandparent’s Love, A Grandparent’s Wisdom, Passing on a Legacy, When the Kids Teach Us, Special Connections, and Too Busy for the Rocking Chair. Celebrate and honor grandparents through some storytelling. The stories are perfect for a read-aloud session with your group, followed by a 1950s classic, a hot fudge sundae!

CELEBRATE THE WORLD OF INVENTIONS

Can you imagine a world without cell phones, DVD players, and the Internet? Most senior adults can! Inventions have a great impact on our everyday lives. From the telephone, to toothpaste, to computers, inventions often make our lives easier and more comfortable. August is National Inventors’ Month - an opportunity to celebrate the world of innovation and the ingenious people who have helped to change our lives with their gadgets, devices, and products. Hats off to their creative minds!

Here are some activities related to inventors/inventions that you can use with your group throughout the month. The emphasis is on the 20^th century.

Ask participants to name some of the greatest invention in their lifetimes and to tell how they impacted their lives.

Brainstorm characteristics or qualities of inventors by asking participants to complete this sentence: Inventors are . . . (e.g., creative, risk-takers, resourceful).

Name some inventions to fit each of these descriptions: helpful, unusual, complex, useless, life-changing.

1950s suburban housewives filled their kitchens with the latest inventions and gadgets. Show pictures of vintage advertising for classic kitchen gadgets, e.g., electric skillet, blender, mixer, can opener, juicer, ice crusher, electric ice cream maker, butter curler, waffle maker, egg timer. Ask your group to name some of their favorites.

Watch a movie about the life of the great American inventor, Thomas A. Edison. Enjoy the 1940 film, Young Tom Edison, starring Mickey Rooney, or choose Edison, The Man with Spencer Tracy.

Discuss the meaning of the proverb "Necessity is the mother of invention."

Ask participants to describe life before the invention of disposable diapers, dishwasher, automatic washer and dryer, Perma-press fabrics, fast food, safety razors, etc.

Display the following props: frozen TV dinner, TV tray, a copy of TV Guide, and a TV remote control. Ask: What was the first brand of TV set that you owned? When did you buy it? When did you purchase your first color television? How did television change your life? As a parent, did you feel television had a positive or negative influence on your children? (See Journey Through the 20th Century: Activities for Reminiscing and Discussion, listed below, for more ideas related to the advent of television.)

Pass around some 20th century toy inventions, e.g., Barbie doll, Lincoln Logs, Slinky, Hula Hoop, Frisbee, Yo-Yo, Tinker Toys, Silly Putty. Ask group members to name their favorite childhood toy.

Hold up a useful invention, e.g., Post-it Notes, Velcro, nylon stockings, Gatorade, Teflon skillet, or Wite-Out, and ask participants to tell what need it fulfilled or problem it solved. Ask: What do you think needs to be invented to make life more comfortable for older adults?

Invite a professional photographer to talk about technological advances in the field of photography. Reminisce about some favorites among your group: Polaroid camera, Kodak Instamatic camera, disposable flashcubes, etc. Ask: What was the first camera you owned? Did you enjoy taking snapshots? Demonstrate a digital camera.

Show photographs of old hand crank, rotary dial, and touch tone phones. Share memories of the following: information operators, long distance operators, rural party telephone lines with friendly town operator, payphones, phone booths. Demonstrate a cellular phone.

Challenge your group’s creativity by encouraging them to invent something "new" - a new flavor of ice cream, a new dish, a new game, etc.

Generations of children are raised on various forms of media. Ask participants to describe the impact of radio on their childhood. How was it different from their own children, who were raised on television, or their grandchildren who favor computers? Enjoy some old-time radio shows with your group. (See Journey Through the 20th Century: Activities for Reminiscing and Discussion for suggestions.)

For participants who grew up on a farm: Discuss how the inventor/entrepreneur John Deere (who founded the John Deere Company) changed American agriculture with the invention of the steel plow and other farming equipment. Ask group members if they ever owned any John Deere lawn and garden equipment. Challenge them to name the company’s trademark symbol and colors. (Leaping deer; green and yellow)

CELEBRATE THE WORLD OF INVENTIONS

Senior adults have witnessed hundreds of technological advances and innovations in their lifetime - from air conditioning to power steering to transistors to photocopiers. Jog memories about inventions with some word games and quizzes, using Trivia Treasury: Trivia and Word Games for Older Adults. You’ll find 31 trivia quizzes and descriptions of 42 word games - old and new - with various degrees of difficulty. The author has designed the quizzes primarily for persons who have lived in the United States since the 1920s, with particular emphasis on the years 1920-1950. Here’s a sample of the trivia quiz topics: Animal Slang, Doctors, Food Origins, Foreign Phrases, Inventions, Mother Earth News, Shopworn Phrases, Sports, Trademarks, World Capitals. Word games include variations on Hangman, What Was My Line?, Advertisements, Picture Charades, Fast Talk, Shake the Can, Guess the Price, and more.

Sample trivia questions from the quiz titled "Inventions":
What invention lets us see stars in the sky closer?
What invention do we play records on?
What invention lets us cut up paper or fabric?

Name the famous person or character associated with these items. (From the quiz titled "Trademarks")
Telephone - Alexander Graham Bell
Electric light bulb - Thomas Edison
Radium - Marie Curie
Steamboat - Robert Fulton

Senior adults have been the beneficiaries of some incredible technologies and advancements. Members of the older generation invented some of them! Help your participants gain an appreciation for their unique place in history by using Journey Through the 20th Century: Activities for Reminiscing and Discussion. The book features over 200 activities to celebrate 20th century America. The focus is on the 1920s-1960s, which represent years of prime living for your participants. The first section of the book, the "big picture," provides an overview of each decade, using various activities. You’ll find introductory and oral reminiscing activities, small group discussion topics, large group and intergenerational activities, cooking projects, drama and role-playing suggestions, and music activities. Short takes on each decade as well as year-by-year summaries are also provided. Use the information to explore participants’ lives from the perspective of categories such as song hits; music and cultural events; fads, fashions, and trends; and news events. Here’s a sample of the many topics included in the book, these from the section on the 1950s:

Decade Trivia Quiz
Fifties Personalities
TV Talk
Happy Days or Hostile Days?
The Impact of Television
The Cold War
Cars and More Cars
Suburbia
Rock ’n Roll
Child-rearing Philosophies
1950s TV Advertising
Sock Hop Party
Fast Food
I Like Ike

(Note: You’ll find references to new inventions, discoveries, and technological advancements in the year-by-year summaries under "Fads, Fashions, and Trends" and "News Events.")

For an educational and entertaining view of the last 100 years, consider the three-CD collection Great Moments of the 20th Century. Listen to Inventor Marconi talk about sending the first transatlantic radio transmission, inventor Thomas Edison announce the age of electricity, President Eisenhower assure the American public there will be further development of the polio vaccine, or the United States launch its first orbiting satellite, Explorer I. The three compacts disks of Great Moments of the 20th Century include 200 audio clips from the people and events that shaped history from 1900-1999. The CDs combine newsworthy political, social, and economic events with pop-culture developments to provide an overview of the century. The accompanying book includes commentary, essays, historic photos, and a comprehensive time line of each decade.

Volume 1: 1900-1953 - The New Century, The World Wars & Fragile Peace Highlights - Thomas Edison, Survivors of the Titanic, Charles Lindbergh, Winston Churchill, Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, FDR, Joe DiMaggio...

Volume 2: 1953-1969 - The Atomic Era, The Cold War & The ’60s Highlights - Senator Joseph McCarthy, Ernest Hemingway, James Dean, Fidel Castro, Allen Ginsberg, Margaret Mead, Kennedy/Nixon, Martin Luther King Jr., Neil Armstrong...

Volume 3: 1970-1999 - Equal Rights, Watergate & Glasnost Highlights - Betty Friedan, President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Barbara Jordan, Elvis Presley, President Carter, Nelson Mandela, John Lennon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton...

DID YOU KNOW? The U.S. Postal Service released a 42-cent Frank Sinatra commemorative stamp on May 13, in honor of the beloved entertainer’s achievements. Celebrate the talent of Ol’ Blue Eyes with your group. The 3-CD set, Frank Sinatra: Greatest Hits, features many of Sinatra’s recordings from the 1950s and 1960s. Enjoy 36 songs including "Young at Heart," "The Lady Is a Tramp," "Love and Marriage," "Sentimental Journey," "My Funny Valentine," "High Hopes," "Come Fly with Me," and more! Share memories of Sinatra’s recordings, concerts, and films.

ORDINARY PEOPLE AND THEIR JOBS

Summer is coming to an end, and soon Americans will be celebrating Labor Day, the first Monday in September. As you plan the last picnic of the season, it’s a good time to ponder the importance of work and jobs. Adults spend much of their life at work, and America’s working men and women merit a tribute. Your group of senior adults knows the meaning of hard work and sacrifice. What kinds of jobs and careers have they held during their lifetime? What contributions to the American workforce did they make after World War II and beyond? Here are some reminiscing activities that will help you honor these special workers and their everyday jobs.

Reminisce about household chores and responsibilities. Ask: What did your parents teach you about work? What kind of chores or tasks did you have as a child/teen - e.g., shovel snow, cut grass, wash dishes? Did you receive an allowance?

Share recollections about participants’ first paid job outside the home, including memories of bosses, duties, pay, hours, co-workers. List common jobs for 1940s teenagers, e.g., bus boy in a restaurant, locker room attendant at the YMCA, soda jerk, usher in movie theatre, paper boy.

Listen to the old Disney tune, "Whistle While You Work." Ask: Did you ever have an unpleasant or boring task/ job? What did you learn about the importance of attitude?

Discuss the differences between a job, a career, and a vocation. Ask: Was your work a job, a career, or a calling? What determines the level of satisfaction you get from your job? How can you find meaning from work - even routine?

Encourage participants to describe their work ethic. Ask: How much did you value the following: commitment, responsibility, respect, punctuality, loyalty, cooperation, teamwork? Did other members of your generation share these work values? Where did you learn them? Did these values help you achieve the American Dream?

Define white-collar and blue-collar workers. Name some workers in white-collar and blue-collar occupations during the 1940s and 1950s. (See Everyday Life Photos - A Grown-Up’s World, a featured product for August, for examples.) Ask: What are the benefits of being a blue-collar laborer, e.g., assigned shift, leave work at workplace, etc.?

Ask the ladies if any had a career as a homemaker. Write a job description for the position! Ask: Which household jobs did you enjoy the most? The least?

Read Walt Whitman’s poem "I Hear America Singing," which honors workers.

Display a Rosie the Riveter poster from World War II. Discuss how the war changed attitudes about women in the workplace. Name some traditional jobs/occupations for women, e.g., teachers, secretaries, nurses, childcare, hairdressers. Ask why women are often drawn to these occupations.

Reminisce about the 1944 GI Bill which provided job training and college education assistance to returning veterans. Ask: What kinds of job training have you received - vocational classes, apprenticeship, trade school, mentoring?

Name some jobs from mid-20th century America that have become obsolete. Examples: elevator operator, soda jerk, milkman, gas station attendant, telephone operator, stenographer. Share old photographs if they are available. Or, display some vintage uniforms or hats.

Ask participants if their work ever included moonlighting around a full-time job. Ask: What are some typical second jobs, e.g., taxi driver or waitress? Did you ever start a small business on the side, like photography?

Share memories of family businesses or trades. Ask participants if there was a tradition in their family for a certain kind of work, e.g., carpentry trade or family farm. Invite a tradesman to talk about mastering a trade or craft.

Discuss the meaning of the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none." Ask if anyone in the group had a handyman business or did odd jobs. Reminisce about 1950s suburban homeowners and their "do-it-yourself" home improvement projects. Ask: What kinds of remodeling or home-repair projects have you done? Pass around copies of old Better Homes and Gardens magazines.

Honor American workers on Labor Day, the first Monday in September. Hold a design contest for a Labor Day parade float.

ORDINARY PEOPLE AND THEIR JOBS

Does your group enjoy looking through old photographs and talking about family times? Here’s a fresh idea for your reminiscing sessions. ElderSong’s newest product, Everyday Life Photos - A Grown-Up’s World, will help your participants recall memories of everyday routines and occasions at home, school, work, and play. The photo collection, from the Library of Congress, highlights activities during the mid-20th century.

This photo set includes the following:

20 black-and-white vintage photographs on 8-1/2" x 11" card stock

23-page companion book with a detailed description of each photo (Things to Notice) and discussion questions on each topic (Questions to Ask)

Simply pass around a photograph in your group and ask some questions from the companion guide. Here’s a sample: Factory Work photograph (taken May 1942 in an East Coast aircraft factory). Questions to Ask: Have you ever worked in a factory? What was manufactured there? What was your job? Were both men and women employed at your workplace? How were their jobs different? Were you an active member of a union? Was that a positive experience? How did you dress for work? Did you ever do shift work? Which shift did you usually work?

Everyday Life Photos - A Grown-Up’s World includes: Barber Shop, Beauty Parlor, Car Repair, Football Game, Factory Work, Grocery Store, Library, Office Work, Quilting Circle, The USO, Wash Day, and more!

You can also purchase a second set of photographs - or purchase both sets. Everyday Life Photos - Children & Family Life includes: Baby Care, Beach Vacation, Car Trip, Family Games, Model Train, Mother’s Helper, School Days, Soapbox Derby, Suppertime, Woodworking Shop, and more!

Reminisce about the world of work with your group. You can trigger memories of work experiences with questions from the book, Everyday Life Trivia. (The quizzes titled "Working" and "Toolbox" would be helpful. You’ll find some sample trivia quiz questions from this resource later in this newsletter.) The book features hundreds of questions about the everyday life of Americans during the mid-20th century. Choose from 23 topics, including Books, Dogs and Cats, Hair and Cosmetics, Mealtime, Motor Vehicles, Nicknames, Popular Culture, Toolbox, A Woman’s World, and more!

GOING TO THE POLLS: ELECTION DAY

On November 4, Americans will be heading to the polls to elect the 44th president of the United States. As Election Day nears, voters will be pondering whom to choose for the nation’s highest political office. Senior adults have participated in many presidential elections, witnessing both landslides and defeats. This civic-minded generation can easily attest to the importance of exercising the right to vote for a new commander-in-chief. Here are some activities designed to evoke memories of going to the polls on a presidential election day. You can adapt them to the particular needs of your group.

Brainstorm a list of election terms with your group - e.g., polls, ballot, dark horse - to elicit memories of election days. (See "Election Day" in Remembering: Recall and Reminiscence Exercises for Memory-Impaired Older Adults for suggestions.) Use the final word list to create a word search for your group.

Show a film on the American presidency, which includes presidential portraits (e.g., PBS documentary series The American President). Serve a patriotic dessert: a flag-shaped cake with white frosting, blueberries, and strawberries. Ask: Which president do you most admire?

Watch the 1939 film Young Mr. Lincoln, starring Henry Fonda. A more recent film to view is Dave, about a presidential impersonator who ends up running the country.

Sing some old political campaign songs, such as "I’m Just Wild About Harry" or "I Like Ike."

Display pictures of the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey. Ask the group what issues are important to them this election year.

Reminisce about memorable elections, such as the 1960 Kennedy/Nixon contest. Show historic photographs of their first televised debates. Ask: Did you watch the debates on TV or listen on the radio? Who do you think won the debates?

Learn about the tradition of Election Day cake. (Check the Internet for recipes.)

Explore the meaning of some clichés associated with politics/elections. Examples: Throw your hat in the ring, jump on the bandwagon, politics makes strange bedfellows, running neck and neck.

Talk about the qualifications of the current presidential contenders and the importance of choosing leaders wisely. Ask: When casting a vote, which do you consider the most important - political party, position on key issues, or personal qualities of a candidate?

Invite a collector of campaign memorabilia to share some of his/her election keepsakes - campaign buttons with portrait of candidate and slogan, posters, bumper stickers, placards, postcards, leaflets. Compare the messages from these items to those of the current presidential election.

Encourage participants to design a paper or straw campaign hat, pennant, placard, or t-shirt for their favorite nominee. Hold a mock election and encourage each participant to cast a ballot for president/vice-president.

Plan an Election Day party. Hang patriotic decorations and enjoy some favorite dips and spreads with crackers, breads, and vegetables. Challenge your group to a presidential trivia quiz.

Read some poems by Walt Whitman, known as the Poet of Democracy (e.g., "Election Day, November 1884" from Leaves of Grass, 1892). Encourage participants to share their sentiments on living in America and enjoying the privilege of voting in a democracy.

Play some rousing patriotic music from "The President’s Own," the U.S. Marine Band. Listen to the official song of the president of the United States, "Hail to the Chief."

Reminisce about American politics in the post World War II-era. Ask: What do you recall about the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections with Dwight Eisenhower? Can you explain why Eisenhower’s campaign used "I Like Ike" and "Peace and Prosperity" as his slogans?

GOING TO THE POLLS: ELECTION DAY

Voting is a civic activity shared by Americans over the years. Say the following words to your group: ballot, voting booth, polling place, poll workers. Ask participants how old they were when they cast their first vote for president. Who were the candidates? What type of voting machine/booth was used? Where was the polling place located? You can help participants - especially those with dementia and memory loss - recall memories of voting by using the exercises in Remembering: Recall and Reminiscence Exercises for Memory-Impaired Older Adults. "Election Day," "Name the Presidents," "Honest Abe" and "The Father of Our Country" will stir up memories of presidential greats. Invoke a patriotic spirit with suggestions from "Patriotic Songs." Written in an easy-to-use format for activity planning, this resource provides seasonal fill-in-the-blank activities for each month of the year as well as memory lists and song suggestions. A story, a performance, and an audience - the ingredients for an afternoon of fun with your group! Skits for Seniors: Volume Two - Holidays Plays provides 34 skits on various holidays and special days throughout the year. Each play has 1-5 characters and requires no props or costumes. "Presidents’ Day," "Vote for Me," "You’re a Grand Old Flag," or "Yes, We’re Dandy" will provide some lighthearted, election-related entertainment for your group. Mention the phrase "whistle-stop train tour" to your group, and you’re likely to hear about President Harry S. Truman. Ask your participants what they remember about Truman’s 1948 Whistle-Stop Campaign Train Trip across America. Listen to audio recordings of Truman’s 1948 presidential campaign, a whistlestop tour in which he gave speeches from the rear platform of a train. Other presidents have used train travel during an election year, including George H.W. Bush, who made whistle-stop tours aboard his 1992 campaign train. The DVD The Great Trans-American Train Ride will take your participants on a nostalgic journey aboard the last great passenger trains of the USA. Enjoy a coast-to-coast adventure on three of America’s greatest trains: the Broadway Limited, the California Zephyr, and the Desert Wind. Explore some cities along the way - New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. The film provides some history of railroads and passenger trains as well as the birth of Amtrak.

GOLDEN RESOURCES

Autumn is in full splendor, with its striking colors. Many people are outdoors, enjoying the crisp, cool days. Whether you delight in gazing at fields of ripe grain, vibrant fall foliage, or drooping sunflower stalks, autumn’s gold is a feast for the eyes.

Golden Highlights

The fall season is a good time to present some activities with a gold theme. The color gold is full of rich symbolism. Here are a few shining examples for your golden friends.

Celebrate the fall harvest with some golden decorations: yellow mums, wheat stalks, Indian corn, gourds and pumpkins.

pass around fabric swatches in shades of yellow/gold and ask participants to suggest a name for each different shade (e.g., cornsilk, lemon, mustard, canary, goldenrod).

Listen to some radio comedy from the "Golden Age of Radio," the 1930s and 1940s. Ask participants to name some of their favorite comedians on old-time radio - Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope, Red Skelton.

Enjoy some slapstick comedy by watching The Gold Rush, starring Charlie Chaplin. Ask: Did you ever try to "strike it rich"? Did you ever "strike gold"? Tell us about the experience.

Listen to Ginger Rogers sing "The Gold Diggers’ Song (We’re in the Money)" from the musical film Gold Diggers of 1933. Ask participants to recall other Depression-era songs, such as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"

Explain the principle of the Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Ask: How would you teach the concept to children?

Display some vintage gold jewelry, such as a brooch, ring, or locket. Ask: Did your family have any heirloom jewelry that was passed from generation to generation?

Define "golden." Relate the meaning to the following terms: golden opportunity, golden egg, golden years, golden arm, golden anniversary, golden girl/boy.

Reminisce about the late 1930s fad on college campuses - swallowing live goldfish. Ask: What fads did you enjoy as a young adult? What do you remember about stuffing people in phone booths? About panty raids?

Display a bouquet of yellow/golden sunflowers, dahlias, mums, and gerbera daisies. Ask participants to describe how the sunny mix makes them feel - cheerful, warm, happy.

Sample some of autumn’s tasty produce, Yellow Delicious apples. Make a batch of cinnamon apple muffins with golden honey.

Listen to Neil Diamond sing "Heart of Gold." Ask: Did you ever know or love a person who had a "heart of gold"? Describe his or her personality.

Read some autumn poetry and note any "golden" images. Suggestions: "The Huskers" by John Greenleaf Whittier, "Ode to Autumn" by John Keats, or poetry by Robert Frost.

Spray paint some pebbles metallic gold and display them in a small basket. Ask participants to discuss the meaning of the proverb "All that glitters is not gold." Ask your group to share a real-life experience that illustrates the meaning of the proverb.

Name some gold medal awards and prizes, such as the Congressional Gold Medal, Olympic Gold Medal, and Nobel Prize medal. Ask: Have you ever won first place in a competition? What was the occasion or event? Did you ever receive a trophy or medal?

GOLDEN RESOURCES

The golden days of autumn are a sight to behold. Relish the beauty of nature as you view Wood Star Videos: Memories of the Zoo, A View of the Ocean, Autumn’s Walk - three relaxing programs on one DVD. In "Autumn’s Walk," you’ll experience a beautiful fall day from dusk to dawn. See sun-kissed ponds and mountain streams. Gaze at colorful trees - glistening gold and orange - across a quieted landscape. Enjoy the sight of migrating geese and squirrels, all to the accompaniment of soothing background music.

You’ll find a gold mine of "heartwarming stories about people 60 and over" in Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul. Enjoy 90 uplifting stories with themes such as Staying Young at Heart, Sharing with Others, Across the Generations, On Love, Living Your Dream, Reminiscing, and Ageless Wisdom. Insightful and humorous, this collection of stories will help your seniors celebrate the season of their golden years with dignity. Add a glow with stories such as "Red Shoes with Gold Laces" and "The Golden Gift."

Older adults fondly remember the golden age of Hollywood film musicals, from 1935-1965. Who can forget favorites such as The Wizard of Oz, Brigadoon, Annie Get Your Gun, and Show Boat? The songs from these and other classic Hollywood musicals boosted morale and carried the American public through events such as the Great Depression and World War II. Some of the film songs even reached the top of the pop charts. The two-CD set Somewhere Over the Rainbow is a compilation of 42 selections from 42 films. Your seniors can enjoy legendary singers and their songs, including "Singin’ in the Rain" by Gene Kelly; "Easter Parade" by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire; "True Love" by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly; "The Lady is a Tramp" by Lena Horne; "Cheek to Cheek" by Fred Astaire, and lots more!

HOLIDAY NOSTALGIA

The holiday season is often a flurry of activities - from shopping and baking to decorating and entertaining. Among older adults there is often a genuine yearning to return to simpler times when a plain, old-fashioned Christmas was the order of the day. What images come to mind when you think of Christmases of yesteryear - horse-drawn sleighs, trees draped in cranberry chains and popcorn strings, Norman Rockwell Santas, Currier & Ives cards? The holidays trigger all kinds of nostalgic memories. Here are some activities to enjoy the season with your group and reflect on times with family and friends.

Fill an old Christmas stocking with items such as peppermint sticks, chocolate drops, apples, oranges, nuts, and raisins. Ask: What are your earliest memories of Christmas? Did you hang a stocking? Did you ever receive a lump of coal for misbehaving? What did you "stuff" in your children’s stockings?

Sing some popular "Santa" songs, e.g., "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," or "Here Comes Santa Claus." Read Francis P. Church’s editorial "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus," written to 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon in the 1897 New York Sun. Encourage participants to talk about how their families experienced Old St. Nick.

Design some simple holiday greeting cards from recycled Christmas cards. Glue images on construction paper, and write an original card verse. Send the cards to U.S. service personnel or to children in hospitals.

Enjoy njoy an afternoon of classic holiday movies, like It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, or Scrooge.

Listen isten to Bing Crosby sing "White Christmas." Explore the history of the song, which was released during World War II. Watch the 1954 movie White Christmas. Shake some plastic snow globes. Ask: Do you enjoy snow on Christmas? Tell us about a memorable Christmas with lots of snow.

Enjoy a holiday sing-along. (Use the CD and lyrics book Christmas with ElderSong - 26 favorites.) Ask participants to share memories of holiday caroling. Talk about caroler etiquette, e.g., refreshments, applause.

Listen to Andy Williams sing "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Watch some beloved Christmas television specials with Perry Como, Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, or Bob Hope.

Display a red holiday dress and ask participants to describe their favorite holiday attire. Pass around samples of holiday fabrics - e.g., satin, velvet, silk, crepe, organza - and ask group members to name the type of fabric. Buy some samples of Christmas prints from a fabric store. Cut out pieces that include small Christmas motifs and make fabric collages.

Reminisce about family holiday shopping. Ask: Did you ever join a Christmas Club? Did you ever use layaway to buy gifts? Did you shop from mail-order catalogs, at a downtown department store, or in shopping mall? What kinds of homemade gifts have you given? How did you make holiday shopping less stressful?

Display a child’s angel costume (old Butterick patterns), or a lamb or shepherd, and ask participants if they ever participated in a Christmas pageant or program - in the school, church, or community. Watch the DVD The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, or enjoy some Christmas skits with your group.

Reminisce about the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalog. (You can show your group a more modern Sears Wishbook.) Compile a boy’s wish list and a girl’s wish list of items your group wanted as children or teens. (A few memory joggers: Raggedy Ann doll, American Flyer model train set, Betty Booper doll, Lionel electric train, Monopoly, Shirley Temple doll, Daisy Red Ryder, Baby Dimples doll.)

Sing the song "O Christmas Tree" and reminisce about searching for the perfect Christmas tree with your family. (Props: mittens, stocking caps, long scarves) Invite a guest speaker from a local tree farm to bring in sample evergreen tree branches and identify favorites by their needles. Decorate a small tabletop tree.

Hold a holiday cookie-tasting contest (sugar, gingerbread, shortbread) and vote on favorite cookie.

Sing the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" and talk about the custom of gift giving during the 12 days of Christmas - from December 25 through January 6.

Display some favorite holiday plants - poinsettia, red amaryllis, paper white narcissus, or Christmas cactus - for your group to enjoy. (Caution: some of these are poisonous if eaten.)

Need more ideas for the holiday season? Check out some of the resources we’ve highlighted below. You’ll find many more items in our catalog.

Continue to look for upcoming editions of this newsletter the last week of the month. Our newsletter contains useful information to make your job of working with older adults more fulfilling. In this issue, you’ll find:

HOLIDAY PRODUCTS

Welcome the holiday season with the gift of music. Enjoy the CD Christmas All-Time Greatest Records, Volumes 1 and 2. The set features some of the most popular singers of the 20th century performing traditional favorites, such as "Silver Bells"/Bing Crosby, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"/Andy Williams, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"/Judy Garland, "The Christmas Song"/Nat King Cole, "Silent Night"/Ella Fitzgerald, "Winter Wonderland"/Lena Horne, and more! Hum all season long!

Continue the holiday festivities with a musical celebration of Christmas. View the Reader’s Digest DVD An Old-Fashioned Christmas. The video includes performances of 35 well- known Christmas and Yuletide songs, such as "O Christmas Tree," "Joy to the World," "Here We Come A Caroling," "Up on the Housetop," "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," "Jolly Old St. Nick," and more. Warm familiar scenes of family life during the holiday season accompany the music. Encourage your group members to share their own family traditions, as they watch joyful images such as baking Christmas cookies, trimming the Christmas tree, viewing a live nativity scene, ice skating, and gathering for Christmas dinner. Ask participants why there’s "no place like home for the holidays."

Reminisce about the meaning of the holiday season with the keepsake book, Chicken Soup for the Soul Christmas Treasury: Holiday Stories to Warm the Heart. Your group will enjoy uplifting stories grouped under themes such as The True Meaning of Christmas, The Spirit of Giving, Yuletide Memories, Holiday Traditions, Bough, Holly and Mistle...aneous. Relive cherished memories - and spread some joy - with stories titled "The Best Gift," "An Inch of Kindness," "Secret Santa," "The Poinsettia Predicament," "How I Discovered Hanukkah," "Sugarplums," and "The Christmas Rose." The short stories are perfect for a read-aloud session with your group. Sip some cocoa and enjoy a favorite cookie or two.

INAUGURATION DAY - Resources

Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., will soon be adorned in red, white, and blue. On January 20, 2009, the 44th President of the United States will be sworn into office. The inauguration of a new president is an event for Americans of all ages. Senior adults have witnessed many such transitions, but the historic ceremony never seems to lose its appeal. Inaugural festivities are a celebration of American democracy.

Here are a few activities to commemorate the inauguration of our new president. You can adapt them to the needs and interests of your group.

Ask participants to name all of the U.S. presidents in their lifetime. Reminisce about listening to presidential inaugurations on the radio. Show a historic photograph of Harry Truman’s inauguration in 1949 (the first to be televised). Ask: Which inauguration is the most memorable for you? What made it special?

Define inauguration. Ask: What events take place during the inauguration of a new president? (Oath of Office and inaugural address at the Capitol, inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, inaugural balls around the city) How have the events changed and grown over the years? Have you ever gone to Washington to see the swearing-in ceremony? What do you recall about the inaugural parade?

Read the Presidential oath from the U.S. Constitution. (“I do solemnly swear…”) Ask: Have you ever taken an oath (Scout oath) or an oath of office? What do you remember about your pledge?

Display the U.S. flag and books of past presidents. Hang pictures of the new president and his family, the White House, and the Oval Office. Decorate in red, white, and blue balloons and streamers. Serve a flag-shaped cake and punch.

Listen to patriotic music by The U.S. Marine Band (the President’s Own). Enjoy favorites such as “Hail to the Chief” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Dead some poetry from past presidential inaugurations. (Robert Frost’s “Dedication” and “The Gift Outright” or Maya Angelou’s “On the Pulse of Morning”) Ask participants if each poem fit the times in which it was delivered.

Listen to audio clips from past inaugural speeches (e.g., John Kennedy’s in 1961) and talk about themes. Challenge your group to finish Kennedy’s famous line, “Ask not what your country can do for you….” Ask: Did Americans heed Kennedy’s call to service in the 1960s? (Peace Corps, VISTA) How did you serve your country?

Display some vintage ball gowns, shawls and wraps, rhinestone shoes, and tuxedos from a costume shop. Talk about dress for a black-tie event. Look at photos of the First Ladies’ inaugural ball gowns – poll for favorites. Ask if anyone has seen the exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of American History.

Hold a vintage hat show (top hat, fedora, homburg, derby) for the men and ask them to recall presidents and their hats, e.g., LBJ’s Stetson. Talk about hat etiquette. Ask the men why they think hats aren’t worn as much today.

Learn some simple ballroom dancing steps. Show pictures of the President and First Lady dancing at an inaugural ball.

Watch a documentary on the White House or Air Force One. (Check local libraries for National Geographic videos.)

Display inauguration souvenirs – pennant, tickets, programs, coins, newspaper clippings, medals, buttons.

Chat about presidential pets, including parrots, bears, dogs, cats, and a pony. Read excerpts from Barbara Bush’s book, Millie’s Book, a springer spaniel’s view of the White House.

Pass around postcards of historic landmarks in Washington, D.C. (Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Capitol) and reminisce about family trips to the nation’s capital.

Show portraits of mid-20th century First Ladies, e.g., Bess Truman, Mamie Eishenhower, Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon. Chat about the role of First Lady and some of the social causes she adopted. Ask: Which first lady has been the most memorable to you? Why?

INAUGURATION DAY - Resources

The presidential election is over, and Americans will soon see the peaceful transfer of power in our democracy. Let the festivities begin! Pay a tribute to America’s diverse landscapes, landmarks, institutions, and people with the DVD America the Beautiful: A Musical Tribute to the Unity of Our Country. This uplifting music video will take your group on a 3,000-mile journey across the heartland of America. Encourage your seniors to sing along with 33 inspirational songs as you view scenes from east to west. Song include “America the Beautiful,” “Star-Spangled Banner,” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Yellow Rose of Texas,” “Chicago,” “Oklahoma!” “This Land is Your Land,” and more!

Historic events often evoke strong feelings of patriotism. For an educational and entertaining view of the last 100 years, use the three-CD set Great Moments of the Twentieth Century. The collection includes 200 audio clips from the people and events that shaped history from 1900- 1999. Each CD combines newsworthy political, social, and economic events with pop-culture developments to provide an overview of the century. The accompanying book includes commentary, essays, photos, and a comprehensive time line of each decade.

Use some of these presidential audio clips from the CDs to reminisce with your group: Woodrow Wilson makes the case for a living wage in 1912, President Franklin Roosevelt visits Dust Bowl states and vows to save the American farming family in 1936, FDR declares war on Japan in 1941, President Harry Truman mocks journalists in election victory speech in 1948, President Dwight Eisenhower officially announces end to Korean conflict in 1953, President John Kennedy addresses nation with inaugural speech in 1961, and more!

Stir up nostalgic presidential memories with the revised and updated version of Down Memory Lane, Second Edition. Highlight the American spirit with activity suggestions from the session titled “Patriotism.” The resource contains 65 themes for reminiscing and discussion. Each chapter has three sections for the topic under consideration. IN THE MOOD offers suggestions for music and visual aids. ACTIVITIES provides short answer and trivia questions, guest speakers, memory sharing, hands-on activities, or listening activities. DISCUSSION stimulates further conversation and memories by participants.

The chapter titled “Presidents” offers lots of suggestions for your Inaugural Day reminiscing sessions. You’ll find activities such as Presidents and Dates, Money Trivia, First Ladies Trivia, Presidents Trivia, Quotations, and Movie Time. You can encourage conversation among participants with these questions:

Who was your favorite president? Who was your least favorite president? What made you feel that way?

Have you ever seen or met a president, president’s wife, or presidential candidate? Tell us about the occasion.

What is a presidential legacy? Whose legacy do you appreciate the most?

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The ElderSong online newsletter is written by Sue Hansen.
Copyright © 2008, ElderSong Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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