THE CONNECTION SPHERE

     On March 15, we had our monthly performance at the Mission Pines Rehabilitation Center. The room was bustling with energy, more people trickling in as we set up and started playing our pieces. I was fortunate to be paired up again with the same wonderful woman as before. Based on my conversations and time with her, I noticed how she was hard of hearing and was slow to reply, but an amazing woman with dreams and a strong support system. Through my time with her, I learned an important skill: how to connect. The residents living at long-term care facilities have a strong stigma around them: that they can’t comprehend the things that we say to them, leading to many people growing impatient and dismissing their presence altogether. Through my time with the Connection Sphere, I learned how to communicate with these residents, how to help them understand, and most importantly, how to connect with them. I learned through my observations that they are just people who want to be heard and acknowledged. While I went away to record my fellow players, I came back to see the resident that I had been helping, waiting for a caretaker to acknowledge her craft, eyes sparking up when she got the validation that she had been waiting for. Those living at these long-term residential care facilities also want the validity and attention that we as a community give to each other but do not get due to our barriers in communication. With the connection sphere, I learned how to communicate with our older part of society, which takes only a few simple steps. You have to get up close to their ear and speak loudly, clearly, and slowly. However, a conversation cannot start if you don’t have the patience to hear them out. With this technique, I was able to hack my way into learning many things about the woman I worked with, learning about her dreams and family, and hearing her laugh when she heard my jokes. The residents at long-term care facilities long for the same support, laughter, and shared memories that we are so easily giving to one another. Many lack a strong support system, but we, the community, have the power to be that support. All it takes is patience and the willingness to listen.