A group of care home residents across a number of homes were able to attend the same gig this Tuesday when singer Katie Nicoll livestreamed a performance at Balhousie Lisden in Kirriemuir.
Katie, who comes from Kirriemuir, performed a medley of songs on Lisden’s patio as residents watched from the window and spilled out into the garden for a dance and a sing. The performance was enjoyed by several of Balhousie Care Group’s homes across Angus and Perthshire, and had almost 3,000 views as members of the public tuned in as well.
The event marks the latest innovative approach to entertaining residents who, under normal circumstances, receive regular visitors from live entertainers.
Sheilah Harvey, Head of Operations with Balhousie Care Group, said:
“The Coronavirus situation has forced us to take a different look at how we entertain our residents and new technology has been at the forefront of this. We’re very proud of how imaginative our staff are being in the activities they’ve put on. We’ve seen musicians performing outside and online, as well as live streamed exercise classes across several homes at the same time. Many thanks to DD8 Music and to Katie Nicoll for coming up with this brilliant gig idea.”
Katie said:
“I miss playing to an audience and because a lot of residents are not able to see their families right now, I thought it would be nice to put a smile on people’s faces with some good music.”
Franziska Hany of DD8 Music in Kirriemuir, which promotes involvement in musical activities to people of all ages in the local area, said:
“The idea to do a gig in the carpark is part of a community challenge we set for our young people during the Coronavirus Crisis. We’re trying to do something every week that involves music, art and chat to keep up activities during the lockdown.”
DD8 Music’s next community event will be a live streamed disco for care home residents on May 6 when a DJ will take requests from both residents and relatives.
You can find Katie Nicoll at https://www.facebook.com/katienicmusic/
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