AIBU to think care homes need more age-appropriate entertainment?

[myislandhome]

My MIL is 91, born 1935. She has recently gone into a care home. So far, all of the entertainment in the home has been so dated - lots of WW2 focus, songs including roll out the barrel and white cliffs of dover etc. I do realise it's currently the D day celebration but it hasn't been just this weekend.
It's driving me mad, MIL was 10 when the war ended. She was in her 20's in the rock and roll era in the 50's. My own mother, who was in a nursing home until she died, was born in 1940 and had the same experience in her home; despite being in her prime in the late 50's/swinging 60's
AIBU to think that nursing homes need to up their game with their entertainment themes?

It reminds me of a Victoria Wood sketch where the old gent in the home is taken out on an outing to listen to two well meaning young women sing Ralph McTell's 'Streets of London'.

Later in the sketch the same duo come to the home and sing the exact same song.

Because elderly people haven't moved on in their tastes since the last episode of the Good Old Days, and can't possibly discover anything new.

Why not write to them and suggest it then?

Although not SAW. That would likely disturb many residents.

But just because the oldsters in your family have particular tastes, that doesn't mean everyone does. My parents would HATE listening to 'modern' stuff like the Beatles, let alone Queen and Led Zeppelin, and enjoy the war-time and pre-war/early 50s stuff. My mum has been very disappointed that the old people's choir she contemplated joining was all 'modern' songs that she had no interest in, and they both hated the music on loop at the old people's hotel they recently stayed at. It's good when there's a wide variety - hopefully there'll be something for everyone. But why should your parents' taste be the only taste catered for?

On a side note, I think it's interesting that there was a huge cultural shift between my mum's age and people just two or three years younger, who came of age in the rock and roll era. In music terms, there's not been a revolution of taste in that way since then - most people can appreciate lots of modern styles of music, and parents enjoy plenty of their kids music etc. But at that moment in history, there seems to have been a big dividing line.

If I am ever in a care home I want Monteverdi, Handel, Purcell, the Velvet Underground and the Rolling Stones - and electric folk.

Agree, but I would suggest it's not a matter of tastes but of suitable era. I actually don't know my MIL's music tastes but I sure know she was only 10 when WW2 ended and was in her 20's in the 50's where music was quite varied from the old war songs etc.

My 97 year old father is now in a care home because of a number of unexplained collapses that came with no warning. He's obviously frail now and his memory is a bit hit and miss, but he loves the staff and is happy there. There are lots of activities, but a lot of them are aimed at women as women make up the majority of residents. I've just filled in a form they sent asking for suggestions for activities for the residents and suggested pub visits and darts matches. Can anyone suggest anything else? Thank you.

Big VE anniversaries aside, I had no idea care homes still did this. The few I'm aware of have far more age-appropriate entertainment.

I think OP has made a good point. Why would care homes be stuck in the war years, with Vera Lynn songs and even first World War songs. If I were ( God forbid) to go into a care home, they would play 60s/ 70s/ 80s songs to be appropriate for my eras.

When you've got it off the ground let me know and I'll put my name down. I was born in 1971 😁

Well, one home had strippers visiting-your Dad might like that!

This!

in my DM's flats a chap runs a regular music activity where he plays music on a particular theme/era, one theme was 'music you would like played at your funeral'!

I want to go to this care home 😆
love the lady in the white cardigan 😍. :

https://youtube.com/shorts/_F1qVu10kCs?si=3qWg5HmdBb7hXH3v

myislandhome Just wondering how the SAW movies will go down! I am scared os them and nowhere near a Nursing home !

My mum certainly was ..interesting

Football?
My 84 year old Dad is still an avid man u fan.

Obviously i meant watching it !

As long as he doesn't join in 😅

I really hope by the time I need one they are all playing the music of the 80s and 90s.

Mu mum had dancing queen at her funeral last year she was 82.

Someone put on Pretty Woman for film night, a number of ladies walked out after the first few minutes

Hahaha

That is exactly the spirit needed.

I will be the one shouting “fuck off, I was at T in the Park!”

Sounds like you need to speak to management. It certainly isn't "universal". I work in care and have done for over 10 years in a variety of homes. Where I am now we would only have that type of music for D day etc. The rest of the time it changes depending on our residents and their tastes because it's person centred.

We also have a bar which the residents love, do a variety of activities, have lots of different groups from the community in and have set up our own beach with paddling pools and sand as, unfortunately, the majority of our residents wouldn't be able to go to the beach so this is an accessible way of doing it. We have bbqs in the summer, cocktail making etc.

I'd strongly advise speaking to either management or the activity coordinator to express your own idea. You could also bring them up at relatives meetings and see what others think.

Absolutely… if anybody sings Vera Lynn to me if I have to go into a care home, I won’t be responsible for my actions… I’m 71

Round here they have Elvis impersonators - (NW) !