In an effort to help the elderly cope with isolation during the COVID-19 crisis, a South Bay teen is holding virtual piano performances to provide human connections.
Angela Hung, a 16-year-old from San Jose, said she finds joy in playing the piano, but when the pandemic hit and she saw how lonely her grandfather was in a nursing home, she decided to do something to help seniors with their mental health.
“Whenever I went to visit him, he didn’t really seem happy," Hung said. "He was usually sleeping and he didn’t talk to people. This observation, coupled with the pandemic, that’s when I decided to start my project, which I began last August."
For the project, called Therapy 4 Seniors, Hung plays 30 minutes of live music online for seniors at long-term care facilities.
“In between, I’ll talk to them, talk about who I am, why I’m here, the songs, ask them how they are,” she said. “My main goal is to lift the spirits of the elderly, improve their mental health and provide some joy in their lives.”
Hung said the beauty of the project is that she can reach seniors all over the state, not just in the Bay Area.
“I have reached senior care facilities ranging from the Bay Area all the way down to southern California,” she said.
Hung has performed for 15 different nursing homes. Her goal is to reach even more seniors even after the pandemic.
“I think it’s just a great way to contribute to my community with the talents that I have,” she said.
If you know someone who is working to keep us safe during the coronavirus pandemic and would like to nominate them as a KCBS Radio Difference Maker, email differencemaker@kcbsradio.com.
Related
