Nevertheless Dementia, We Persist

Fun Activities

Lynne and her assistant care director, Brenda, called for a video chat last night, as Lynne does when it gets to be much. Luckily for me, they called me. I needed to be cheered up too. Inspired by interviews with her friends who remember singing and dancing with her at outdoor concerts, I suggested we add music. I told her to say, Alexa play Lyle Lovett. Her Alexa echo and my Alexa show played Lovett. She sang the lyrics and we rose out of our chairs to dance through our video chat. And we laughed.

We listed some artists we could enjoy next time. And then wham, I remembered the most cherished Father’s Day gift Lynne gave me, a concert at The Gorge with Crosby, Stills and Nash. Their finale was Teach Your Children Well, one of my all-time favorite songs I’d been hoping to hear. We stood in the sunset with the packed crowd roaring the lyrics as tears flowed out of my eyes.

We’d like your help. My youngest daughter and I listed some artists we think are her favorites, but we don’t know everyone she’d like on the list, particularly starting in the ’80s to the present. Help us please: name favorite artists and concerts she loves to sing and dance with. We are posting the list below by her Alexa echo so caregivers fill her apartment with music. We all should sing and dance once in while, especially in lockdown.  

LYLE LOVETT	CROSBY, STILLS & NASH	CAT STEVENS	EMMEY LOU HARRIS
MARY CHAPIN CARPERNTER	WAILIN’ JENNYS	DOLLY PARDON	ELTON JOHN
GEORGE MICHAEL	MADONNA	MICHAEL JACKSON	U2
ABBA	THE BEATLES	ROLLING STONES	THE EAGLES
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL	CARPENTERS	ALLISON KRAUSE	OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN
LORETTA LYNN	GARTH BROOKS	THE JUDDS	CARTER FAMILY
THE CHICKS