South of the Border Sing-along for Seniors

Image via Wikipedia

With April now at the half way point, I am making plans for my May Music Therapy sessions at area Brookdale Senior Living facilities. In particular I am working  on the  theme: “South of the Border”. (Those in other long term care and assisted living facilities may be preparing a Cinco de Mayo celebration.) Based on what I know about music familiar to these residents, I am taking more a “Gene Autry” approach – in other words more songs about Mexico than from Mexico.

Songs most likely to be included in one way or another are:

• Alabare’, Alabare’
• De Colores
• Don Gato
• South of the Border
• La Cucaracha
• Mexicali Rose
• Mexican Hat Dance
• El Chocolate
• Down Mexico Way
• In a Little Spanish Town
• Vaya Con Dios
• Cielito Lindo
• La Bamba

There will likely be a little mariachi music played for a movement portion of the group. The egg head shakers will also come out to use as maracas. If you have suggestions, I’d love to have you share them.

Goal Met!

Image by Scott Ableman via Flickr

I met my goal of post to this blog at least three times a week during the month of March.  As of April 1st, here are the top five viewed blogs posted during the month of March were:

#5 – Where are you going, my child?: inspired by my daughter’s birthday.

#4 – A great song resource: Sharing one of the sites I use to locate songs on a theme.

#3 – Multi-tasking Instruments: I shared the instruments I use in my music therapy sessions.

#2 – Make a Musical Family History: Ideas for adding music when gathering your family history.

and #1 – St. Patrick’s Songs: This list was targeted towards songs to sing with seniors.

Here are some of the blogs topics you can expect in April:

• April shower songs for seniors and for children,
• sharing of an original song for children,
• reflections on group mediation in an assisted living group, and
• ideas for a “South of the Border” themed sing-along those in Brookdale Senior Living facilities (and others) can use when planning for May.

I look forward to your comments and suggestions as I blog forth.

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