We’ve all experienced those moments of trying to engage with one of our more senior relatives with our taste in music and contemporary culture. Sometimes, there’s just too much of a generational divide for them to fully understand the appeal of certain aspects of culture. However, if you’ve always wanted to be able to share your interests with a close relative, then there are ways of introducing them into your world that are perhaps more convincing to a senior member of society.
Start off easy
The way that younger citizens get hold of their culture (Spotify, Netflix, and YouTube) are unlikely to have the exact same effect on someone who is a bit older. However, this doesn’t mean that they are entirely off-limits. Showing them how to use their Spotify account to access their favorite artists could be a natural way to show them who you’re currently listening to. Try and use devices that they’re naturally inclined to use, too. Let them stick with a phone from Jitterbug Direct, and, instead, show them how to use Spotify on a laptop. This way they can keep their phone calls simple and easy to do and expand their education of music another way. You don’t want to make engaging more with your modern culture too hard.
Be adventurous
We might think that those who are a bit older than us might be completely unacquainted with our cultural references. However, that isn’t always the case. You might be surprised by just how much they resonate with a particular television program or song you like. Once you have a music account open with them, or maybe you’ve even downloaded Netflix for them, show them something you really love – take the risk.
You may even want to take your senior relative to a concern or gig with you to show them a particular artist they may like. This may seem far fetched, but this is only mostly because of our perceptions of older generations. It’s said that ‘older’ is often equated with ill-health, whereas there are actually plenty of senior relatives who would love to go and enjoy a music gig in the way they did in their more youthful years – give them a try.
Bring it into their world
If you have a relative who is particularly musical, then you could play some more modern songs with them. It has been found that playing music together is particularly beneficial to senior citizens who are recovering from serious conditions. It’s been found to help with memory loss, and indeed a general feeling of loneliness. If you don’t think they’re quite ready for the album version, then why not play the piano version with them?
Wanting to share your favorite music and culture icons with your senior relatives is only natural. Many of us worry that our enthusiasm will be lost on them, particularly if they happen to think it’s awful. However, sometimes sharing culturally significant songs and media can actually be an important social occasion. It reminds us that despite a generation divide, we often use music and performance as a way of coming together.
Photo by Jeff Sheldon on Unsplash
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