Music for Seniors

In the summer of 2022, ProtoStar restarted its Music for Seniors program.  The purpose of the program is to provide high-quality musical performances to memory care and other senior residents at assisted living facilities.  Many seniors at these living facilities are unable, for one reason or another, to attend performances at concert halls or other outside venues.  The idea of the Music for Seniors program is to bring high-quality musicians to them.

Original Launch Delayed

ProtoStar had originally intended on launching the program in 2020, but obviously, had to delay the launch because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  With the welcomed development of vaccines and the high vaccination rate among seniors, senior facilities began to welcome back visitors again in 2022 and ProtoStar was able to reinstate the Music for Seniors program.  While the program seeks to serve the senior residents, especially those in memory care, family members would also be welcomed to attend, as the performances could be one of their special times together.

Arrangement with Senior Facilities

The basic arrangement is that ProtoStar would make every effort to ask high-quality musicians to perform at the senior living facilities as a public service.  The activities director at the senior facility would schedule a date and time for the performance and enter into a performance agreement with the performer(s).  The activities director would then be responsible for handling the logistics of the performance and publicizing it within the facility.  The performer(s) would be paid an honorarium of up to $300 per performance, regardless of the number of artists performing.  ProtoStar would then reimburse the facility for one-half of the honorarium.

Silvergate Fallbrook Retirement Center

The first performance in the Music for Seniors program took place in July 2022 at the Silvergate Retirement Residence and Memory Care Suites in Fallbrook, California (“Silvergate Fallbrook”).  The performance featured a young female professional harpist playing a mixture of music ranging from opera and classical music to Celtic folksongs and pop music from the 1940s to 1960s and even today.  Approximately 31 residents attended, of whom about 17 were from the memory care unit.  Four staff members and two senior administrators were also present.

The program was so successful that ProtoStar arranged for a second performance in September 2022.  That performance featured a marimba player.  As with the harpist’s performance, over 30 residents attended, about half of whom were from the memory care unit.

ProtoStar hopes to expand its Music for Seniors program to other senior facilities in the Greater San Diego area.

Social Impact

The true measure of the program’s social impact and its success lies not in the numbers of seniors who attend the performances, but the heartwarming twinkle in their eyes when they recognize a familiar tune.  Each senior resident is precious and special.  If only one senior finds joy in the music for just that one hour, the program will have succeeded.  Here is a short illustration: