SWGSweetwater Groves Residential Assisted Living
Scottsdale, AZ
Scottsdale, AZ
Memory Studio · Late stage
Late stagePostwar Childhood10–15 minutes2 pages to print
One Song, One Hand
A single familiar song, played low, with a hand held through it. Built for the visits when talking has stopped being the way in.
One Song, One Hand
A single familiar song, played low, with a hand held through it. Built for the visits when talking has stopped being the way in.
Before you press play
- Choose one song they knew before they were thirty
- Turn off the television and anything else making noise
- Sit where they can see your face without turning their head
- Set the volume lower than you think it should be
During the song
You are not performing. You are keeping company.
| Moment | What to say | What to do and watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Start it quietly | "I thought you'd like this one." | Eyes opening, a finger moving, a breath that changes. |
| Take their hand | Hum along rather than sing over it. | A hand that squeezes back. It may take most of the song. |
| Let the silence after it sit | Nothing for a full minute. | This is often where a word or a smile arrives. |
What landed
Note the song and what you saw, so the next visitor can begin there.