When all 12 of the senior living facilities where we were presenting our “When Swing Was King” monthly shows went into severe lockdown a year ago, our live presentations of big band music, photographs, and social interaction were put on the shelf. However, because we still wanted to do something to help the residents deal with the isolation and boredom from the quarantines, we started creating “activity pages” that offered quizzes, quotations, song lyrics, photographs, and a personal letter from us. In fact, we created a 9-page packet that we sent every week to the activity directors who then made copies for the residents. In some cases, they used them in limited social gatherings too. Claire and I wanted to remind the residents that we were thinking of them, lifting prayers to God in their behalf, and trying to provide some measure of fun engagement.
Well, the response was greater than anything we could imagine. Indeed, the appreciation has been so strong that even though we are finally being allowed to resume our live “When Swing Was King” shows in a few of the facilities, we have decided to continue to produce these activity packets every month even – when we resume our regular schedule.
Another fantastic thing we saw develop over this past year was that by uploading these activity pages onto the Vital Signs Ministries website, people around the nation (and even further abroad) were able to utilize them for themselves and family members, neighbors, church members, etc. to whom they passed them along. So, here on this page of the Vital Signs website, you’ll find every single packet in the series. Have fun!