Live entertainment remains a hit with residents – providers budgeting for in-person entertainers enjoy benefits in quality care, satisfaction and reputation

Live entertainment, devoid of screens, is being championed by seniors, entertainers and encouragingly, some providers. Refuting the argument that there simply isn’t enough budget to cover it, these providers have increasingly been telling their stories about allocating funds to bring in talented entertainers to engage with and bring joy to residents. Residents in turn have been raving about the experiences, with nearly 100% attendance rate providing a comprehensive two-thumbs up feedback. Resisting the trend of moving entertainment to passive screens or even VR, the providers shaping policy and funding for live entertainment are seeing sustained elevated levels of resident and loved-ones satisfaction in care.

Entertainment is electric

It may not be 1977 and ACDC playing in Haymarket, Sydney but the acts at Lifeview residential care are electric for Corry Ogyden.

Now 95, Ogyden, has been to more live shows than she can count. When she was young it was a favourite activity, to see live bands do their thing. And now, while living alongside a group less raucous and reacting to Angus Young in his school-boy outfit, she is still thrilled to partake in live entertainment.

Speaking to the ABC, Ogyden recalls, “I’ve been to many live bands over the years, including the big stage shows like AC/DC.”

Confirming what some providers have been in earnest to respond to, “it’s very important to have live performers visit us each week, it triggers memories.”

“It’s also helpful to their [residents’] health and wellbeing, encouraging people to be social.”

Human is best

In keeping with what experts have clarified through published studies, human connection is best, deepest and yields the most health benefits. Dr Suraj Samtani, a leading researcher and clinical psychologist is clear on the research, consistent quality time with trusted human-beings can have powerful benefits on neuroplasticity and brain health.

Live entertainers, particularly ones that regularly return and are able to build up relationships with residents, can be a key resource for providers. To not only bring social-engagement, activity and stimulation to residents but at the same time, directly meeting compliance regulation of quality holistic care brings benefits to all.

As seniors themselves, providers and loved-ones have attested, live entertainers are able to engage residents, to encourage physical and emotional exercise for the care of the whole person, with benefits quantifiable and otherwise.

Performers and seniors are increasingly speaking out about the importance of budgeting for live entertainment and the benefits across the board it can have. From senior health improvement, robust culture and heightened morale across a centre, the improvements to human well-being and provider staff turnover can be substantial.

Connection is vital

Natalie May is a professional ventriloquist based out of Albion Park in NSW. She’s poured herself into a career that helps people laugh.

She’s on a mission to reinforce the importance of funding live performances for those in aged care residences and safeguard the magical moments of human connection they can bring about.

She has seen live performances have a poignant and life-changing impact on residents. She hopes to highlight why providers should allot budget to pay for sincere and passionate performers, and why laughter is really great bang for your buck. She hopes to persuade against a trend she has seen where budgets are reducing for this opportunity and the benefits that come from it.

Speaking to the ABC she says, “Residents love the old-school ventriloquism and singing, but nursing homes aren’t allocating funding for live entertainment.”

“Taking in the puppets and making residents laugh and sing, you can’t put a price on that.”

More data is needed

In assessing the accuracy of trends in terms of live entertainment, there is an opportunity for further data accrual.

Budget allocation for lifestyle activities currently falls within reports provided by aged care providers to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, however the specificity of live entertainment is not a current requirement.

Within the Australian National Aged Care Classification (ANNAC) funding model comes a portion of funding for entertainment but according to government legislation, it is up to leadership to direct funding according to internal decisions and needs.

Yet with the changes from the new Aged Care Act 2025 and subsequent Rules, the government states that providers are now aware that new compliance measures necessitate that one recreational or social activity per day but be void of screens, particularly TVs and be conducted outside of a meal.

Living it live

Chris Grice is the chief executive of National Seniors Australia, he, alongside Natalie May, is concerned over the move away from live entertainment to substitutes like virtual reality (VR).

In chatting with the ABC he says frankly, “obviously, someone’s done a good job pitching virtual reality, that it’s satisfying or fulfilling needs that residents have.”

“But just because it’s new, bright and shiny doesn’t mean to say it’s going to create a better experience.”

Grice implores, “you’ve got to cater for different cohorts within the community, you can’t have one size fits all, that shouldn’t be what success looks like for entertainment.”

Highlighting too, the research and versatility of live performance, Grice notes, “from a clinical perspective, live performance helps in terms of folks suffering from dementia, it’s in the moment and can be adapted to the audience.”

For providers who scaled back funding allocation for live performance during Covid and haven’t re-assessed, Grice suggests it is vital to take another look.

“Reducing the service is one of these unintended consequences from COVID-19 and people [are] getting used to it.”

He says, “once it’s gone, there’s no turning back, and there are some things we need to protect and preserve, and live entertainment is one of them.”

Allocation with conviction

Annitta Macauley is the social support and events manager at Lifeview where Ogyden lives. She has seen first hand the benefits to resident and provider through live entertainment. 

Residents have voted with their attendance. Every Friday afternoon the live entertainment rolls into town, and with attendance routinely near perfect, it’s the pinnacle of the week for the centre’s 200-strong seniors. Macauley shares that this human connection is vital.

Sharing with the ABC she says, “Happy Hour is the one activity that pretty much every resident attends because it’s live entertainment and putting a VR helmet on doesn’t cut it, there’s no human touch.”

And while budgets can be slim, she is emphatic, she will continue to champion the funding of live performances.

“During COVID, many of our entertainers stopped performing; they had no work, so we’ve had to re-look and go, OK, prices have gone up, but we understand, and our budget will continue to include Happy Hour and live entertainment.”

Affirming May’s experience and witness of the joy and benefits for seniors, when they are able to engage with her ventriloquist performance, Macauley notes, “”Spice Girls’ music isn’t going to trigger memories, but residents love seeing the ventriloquist magic because that was big in their era.”

“There’s nothing better than a performer working the crowd, the residents are enthralled, and they love it”.