Creating an outdoor music garden with 5 different instruments for 50 vulnerable seniors, beneficiaries of social services from Bucharest, in the CARP Omenia garden, for 5 months. Every month from all 5, 10 seniors will discover what outdoor instrument fits them best and will practice music therapy 2 times per week for one-two hours in order to maintain and improve motor and cognitive functions, hearing and dexterity and form a band after 5 months.

Bucharest, south-east Romania

The lack of activity and the high chances of motor and cognitive degradation of senior population from District 5 are only two of the challenges that our project aims to eliminate. The fact that elderly citizens will benefit from an outdoor activity no matter the weather or the pandemic context, will improve and maintain their life quality. More than this, the music therapy is an opportunity for them to meet public officials from District 5, to express their needs and concerns regarding their every single day living in the community.

The key target group of the project will be formed by 50 vulnerable seniors (60+ years old), beneficiaries of social services from CARP Omenia Association and also active participants in activities developed by Magic Seniors Association. The target group will be also a pilot group who will test the outdoor instruments and who, at the end, will form a band. The direct beneficiaries will be citizens of District 5, Bucharest, living by themselves. They will be chosen by the two NGO partners taking into account aspects such as: the past involvement of the seniors in the community, the need to socialize and to bound with each other in an outdoor activity and the need to maintain and improve motor and cognitive functions through music therapy.

Objectives: 1.5 outdoor music instruments will create the first music garden for seniors in Bucharest;2.50 seniors will learn and practice an instrument for 5 months in order to maintain and increase their motor and cognitive functions and eradicate loneliness; 3.Developing bridges between seniors and the personnel of public and private entities from District 5 in order to underline the engagement in civic dialogue between different generations.
Activities:1.Selection and purchasing of the instruments– 5 instruments will be selected by all 3 partners taking into account the outdoor space, rock or land surface,level of noise,possible participants,; 2.Fixing the 5 instruments and creating the garden – Duo Percussion will fix and create the music garden;3.Selection of the 50 seniors who will play the instruments – the two NGO partners will select 50 seniors from District 5 – beneficiaries of social services, lonely and in need of activities and socializing but also citizens that want their voice to be herd by the public officials;4.Organizing the music therapy activity – the music therapy activity will take place twice per week for one -two hours (5 seniors/session) and employees from the public institutions from District 5 will participate also; 5.Organizaing the final concert of the compact senior band–the band will perform a concert for all the indirect benef of the project.

Results: one outdoor music garden available for seniors in Bucharest; 50 seniors feeling less abandoned and actively involved in a weekly activity no matter the weather or the pandemic context; aprox 10 open discussions between the senior population of District 5 and public authorities; a better general acknowledgment of the public and private entities about the current situation of the 60+ years old population (lack of activity, loneliness, lack of engagement in any activity due to the present context).

The project will create and strengthen relationships between senior citizens,Through music the senior community from District 5 will be more homogeneous. Music will maintain and improve cognitive (attention ,auditive, sight) and motor functions (movements of the hands and legs) and serve also as a connector between seniors and officials.It will show to two different generations (60+ and 30+) that they can find a common ground where they can meet, discuss and take some actions in specific neighborhoods where not only seniors live but also younger generations. Entire neighborhoods from District 5 where social services beneficiaries live (children, poor families, women etc) will have access to a free activity and will have the opportunity to communicate better with the officials.

The team behind the project idea is formed by two local NGO’s, both from District 5 who know better than anybody else what are the real needs and problems of the seniors and of the community.
Magic Seniors Association will be taking care of the communication activities, of the music therapy schedule, of the connection between the seniors activity and the public officials from the Municipality.
CARP Omenia Association will help to select the beneficiaries,the instruments and to put together a music therapy schedule that will fit the beneficiaries. Also, they will offer their space in order to transform their yard into a music garden.
Duo Percussion will help with the purchasing of the instruments, transportation and will provide the know-how in order to learn how to play the instruments.

Instruments: 10 000 e
Social media (paid posts and articles): 2000 e
Prints (posters, flyers and roll up): 1000 e
Photography and videos: 2000 e
Catering for the public officials meetings: 3000 e
Project Administration:
- Project manager: 6000 e
- Project assistant: 5000 e
- Financial officer: 1600 e

Advices regarding improvement are always more than welcome. We want to become better every single day and we can achieve this only if bigger entities can offer us support.