The Songbird Story

It had been a concern watching my dear Great Aunt Jasmine become elderly and frail. I cared for her deeply and understood her initial resistance to move into a nursing home. 

Upon visiting her in the high care facility she lived in, in Adelaide, I noticed the lifestyle events schedule posted in the elevator and around the home. When I asked aunt Jasmine about the events, her face beamed with joy as she explained how much fun she’d had when she held a bunny rabbit when the petting zoo came to visit, and how she’d touched a pony for the first time.

This sparked an idea! I had been singing professionally for just over 20 years, and realised aunt Jasmine had never heard me sing before. Even though it was with her son; my cousin John, whose band I first sang with as a young adult.I decided to surprise my Aunt Jasmine with a small concert at her Nursing Home and started planning the performance into my next trip to Adelaide.

I wanted to make it a surprise, but aunt Jasmine, always wanting to look her best, was given a heads up and dressed in her exquisite style for the occasion. Her fine pale pink jumper, her dress glasses, a soft lipstick and made her way down to the recreation room.

I dressed up in an evening gown, brought with me a small red carpet, and brought with me some items to dress up with the residents, feather boas, a top hat, and some small, hand held percussion instruments (egg shakers, tambourine). The music included some popular contemporary ballads mixed with some popular jazz songs, many of which were written between 1930’s and 1945, and still are popular to this day.

There was clapping, and singing by all and some ‘chair dancing’ as I like to call it. 

Aunt Jasmine’s eyes welled with pools of joy and was calling out ‘I love you’ throughout the concert, which needless to say stirred emotion in me. I later heard Jasmine boasting to her fellow resident afterward with ‘that’s my niece’. I felt privileged and honoured for the opportunity to perform for aunt Jasmine and residents in the home.

I came to realise the energy, joy and interaction that comes naturally for me as an entertainer can be extremely beneficial in an aged care setting, leading me to pursue this avenue of entertainment.

Sadly, my aunt Jasmine who inspired Songbird Serenade, passed away mid 2017. She will forever be my inspiration and I hope to continue to spread her spirit of joy and connection through all that we do at Songbird Serenade.

Providing entertaining and soulful interactions for seniors has now become one of my strongest drives in life. Years later, I feel privileged to work alongside and represent a wonderful flock of Songbirds who also share my passion to deliver high quality entertainment to the valued seniors of our communities.