Rosanne Blackburn’s rendition of Twas the Night Before Christmas is the latest example of how she uses creativity to enhance quality of life for residents
Maplewood life enrichment aide (LEA) Rosanne Blackburn is often using her creativity to enhance the quality of life for residents at the Brighton, Ont. long-term care home, and she recently recruited her co-workers and some residents to perform a skit based on a parody of the famous poem Twas the Night Before Christmas.
“I just thought it would be nice to do something different,” she tells The OMNIway. “I always used to make up my own poetry, so I thought I would make up my own version of the poem for the home to act out.”
Rosanne says a conversation with a member of the Maplewood nutritional care team inspired her to write a parody of the poem and create a skit. The two were chatting about how to keep residents’ spirits high during the holiday season amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Rosanne’s colleague suggested a humorous skit, and Rosanne thought, “what a good idea.”
“I just went home that night and tried to think of something that we could do that was short for the lunch service, and I just came up with Twas the Night Before Christmas – but in my own words,” she says.
The performance of the poem happened shortly before lunch was served on Dec. 10.
Rachel Corkery, Maplewood’s administrator and life enrichment co-ordinator, commends Rosanne for the creativity she has brought to the home to help enhance the quality of life for residents over the years.
Rosanne has been an especially valuable asset to residents since the pandemic began in March, she adds.
“She truly has been such an out-of-the-box thinker during this pandemic, and has come up with some amazing ways to brighten everyone’s day,” Rachel says.
Here is Rosanne’s rendition of Twas the Night Before Christmas:
Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the room
The residents were all ready for the food service soon
Diana the cook forgot to make soup
So she ran in the kitchen and she said “oh poop”
Harry just laughed and said that is alright
Make the soup later we’ll have it tonight
Corina hit the table and shook her head NO
I want my soup now and don’t be too slow
When out came Jackie with two plates in her hand
So hot to the touch, it was all she could stand
Tracy came out wondering, what’s going on
She said this will not happen in here from now on
The PSWs were waiting, oh so patiently
To start with feeding, all smiling with glee
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
Rosanne in her costume … a happy reindeer
The nurses just laughed and thought, what a sight
Don’t turn on the music, or she will dance, she just might
Now Diana, now Jackie, now Tracy and Rosanne
Please tell me, please tell me, do you all have a plan?
They sprang to the kitchen and gave us a whistle
The way they all flew like the down of a thistle
I heard them exclaims as they dove out of sight
Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!