The People Who Make the Magic Happen

There’s something I’ve always known from my years of singing in care homes.

Behind so many lovely afternoons, happy faces, familiar songs and moments of laughter, there is usually one very special person making it all happen. They might be called an Activities Coordinator, Wellbeing Coordinator, Lifestyle Coordinator, Activities Organiser, or something completely different. Whatever their job title, I know one thing for certain, they make a huge difference.

They know the residents. They know who loves a singalong, who prefers to sit and listen, who will suddenly get up and dance when their favourite song is sung, and who might need a little encouragement before joining in. They know their residents’ favourite songs, their stories and their personalities. And they’re incredibly good at making things happen. They organise the entertainment, encourage residents to come along, help everyone get settled and somehow keep everything running smoothly, whatever else is going on around them.

Although, of course, there is one thing nobody can control… the tea trolley. You can almost guarantee that at some point during a session, it will make its appearance. Usually just as everyone is really getting into the music! But that’s all part of it. If we’re in the middle of a lively, full on set, I’ll simply change things up a little. Bring the energy down and make the music more of a gentle background while everyone enjoys their tea and biscuits.

The music carries on, the atmosphere carries on, and before you know it, the tea trolley has disappeared and we’re right back into the session without ever losing the momentum. And that’s what I love about care home entertainment. It isn’t a concert where everything has to go exactly to plan. It’s real life. There might be laughter, dancing, chatting, a tea trolley arriving mid set and somebody suddenly remembering a song they haven’t heard for years. And that’s perfectly fine. In fact, those are often the moments that make each session feel completely unique.

And the activities and wellbeing teams understand that better than anyone. They know that entertainment isn’t simply about filling an hour in the diary. It’s about creating moments of connection, recognition and joy. And that’s why I think the relationship between the entertainer and the activities team is so important.

So when I walk into a care home, I want to get to know the people in front of me. I watch, I listen, I read the room and I look for those little signs that tell me what people are enjoying. But when the person organising the session already knows the residents so well, that makes it even easier to create something special together.

I’ve met so many wonderful people in these roles over the years, and I have enormous admiration for what they do. They’re there to encourage the residents, to join in with them, to laugh with them, to notice when someone is having a particularly good day and sometimes to gently encourage someone who isn’t. And they make entertainers feel welcome. A smile at the door, a quick chat about how everyone is doing, a little bit of information about what might work particularly well that day… those things make such a difference.

So this is a little thank you to all the wonderful Activities, Wellbeing and Lifestyle people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Thank you for organising everything and for helping to make each visit such a pleasure.

You might not always be the person standing in the spotlight… But you’re the reason the spotlight is shining in the first place. Unless, of course, you fancy taking the microphone yourself. You’re very welcome!