Hello everyone!

I am currently in my final yr of studies for being a music therapist. Next semester I will be placed in a nursing home or hospital working with older adults for my practicum. I am just wondering if anyone can give me some oldies songs I can use and prepare that they know their grandparents or parents love to listen to. Or even just artists... I am 20yrs old and having a hard time picking songs to learn because I am not familiar with that era. Haha. So ask your old folks or maybe you just know some off the top of your head.

These songs will be used to lift their spirits and for alzeheimer's paitents, maybe even help with their memory of the old days.

Thank you so much for you help and support.

Justme.

I am a bit after that time but I know they love
The Andrew Sisters YouTube - Andrews Sisters - Song & Dance - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Louie Armstrong YouTube - What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Frank Sinatra YouTube - Frank Sinatra, That's Life

Michale Buble does a lot of the old songs too. YouTube - Michael Buble - Come Fly With Me "LIVE"

I do not know where you are from, but in the US there is a show called Laurence Welk. I work in a Nursing Home, and every Saturday night, that is the thing to watch. It has all the old songs. Also our activities department plays a lot of patriotic/religious songs, as the alzheimers patients never seem to forget the lyrics :) Good Luck.

Thank you much!

"Let Me Call You Sweetheart"

Let me call you Sweetheart
I'm in love with you
Let me hear you whisper
That you love me too

Keep the lovelight glowing
In your eyes so blue
Let me call you Sweetheart
I'm in love with you

Country Music:
"Moving' On" by Hank Snow
"Geisha Girl" by Ernest Tubb
"Take An Old Cold 'Tater and Wait" by Little Jimmy ens
"Lonesome Cattle Call" by Eddie Arnold
"Hey, Good Lookin" - ?
"Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford
"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" - Gene Autrey
"Who's Sorry Now?" - ? (female)
"My Happiness" - Connie Frances (Francis?)



Gospel, Sacred, Hymns:
"I'll Fly Away"
"The Old Rugged Cross"
"Rock of Ages"
"Peace in the Valley" - Red Foley
"Little Brown Church in the Wildwood"

A great work you are doing. Hope this helps a bit. For the rec therapist, I find it fun to work with old similies to press the memory, perhaps giving a round of applause when someone in the group is able to complete the similie. (EX: "as busy as a ___" or "as dry as ____")

I work with Alzeheimer patients and every Monday night we have a sing=a=long...
I will post just a few of the songs they are familiar with,, you will be amazed at how many know all the words when they get to singing,
. DAISY DAISY/NAT KING COLE
2. BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON/DORIS DAY
3. ANYBODY SEEN MY GAL/MITCH MILLER
4. YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE/BURL IVES
5. IM LOOKING OVER FOUR LEAF CLOVER/MITCH MILLER
6. MARES EAT OATES/JO STAFFORD & PIED PIPERS
7. HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGY IN THE WINDOW/PATTI PAGE
8. FOR ME AN MY GAL/JUDY GARLAND/BING CROSBY
9. HOME ON THE RANGE/MITCH MILLER
10. HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS/GAITLIN BROTHERS
11. SHINE ON HARVEST MOON/MITCH MILLER
12. K-K-KATY,, MITCH MILLER
13. MOCKING BIRD HILL/PATTI PAGE
14. ON MOON LIGHT BAY/DORIS DAY
15. ROCK OF AGES/GAITLIN BROTHERS

and
OLD RUGGED CROSS/
Show me the way to go home/andrew sisters
Bye Bye Blackbird/Rosemary Clooney
Happy Trails/Roy Rogers & Dale
Hush Little Baby/Peter Paul & Mary
. Open up your heart & let the sun shine in
May you always/McGuire Sisters
The Bible tells me so/Don Cornell
If your happy and you know it..

Want more? Keep in touch,, I can send you more,, especially Christmas too

You Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog - Elvis (one of his very early)
Don't Be Cruel - Elvis (flip side)
Bernadine - Pat Boone
Love Letters in the Sand - Pat Boone
Take An Old Cold Tater And Wait (below, should be Little Jimmy Pickens (but "P" should be "D." The first part of the name is not coming through.)
When Johnny Comes Marching Home - ?
My Country, 'Tis of Thee - ?
Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight? - ?
Rockin' Robin
The B-I-B-L-E
Amazing Grace
Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) - Doris Day
Tammy - Sandra Dee
ang8318 below mentioned Lawrence Welk. He and his band were the Saturday night darlings of the set you are working with.

This is fun. Got any more activities for ole folk to help you with other ole folk?

I'm not sure my first response went through, here is a second try
I have entertained (?) at nursing homes & senior residences for a long time. The list that "Linda Spy "gave you is the kind that is well received by the gerital generation (of which I'm one). I found the following site helpful in getting words & Guitar chords for older songs. : http://www.theguitarguy.com/songs.htm
Good Luck
Jim