From an economic standpoint the nursing home, assisted living, senior center and retirement communities are right up there at the top of the list. The payscale in this part of the world ranges from $100 to $150 an hour, which is about the same pay you would earn for a four hour job in an upscale, Italian Restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy.

From a satisfaction standpoint, the NH circuit is the best. The audiences usually consist of wonderful people who are extremely appreciative, they look forward to each and every performance, and those who are not bound to wheelchairs and walkers love to dance and enjoy themselves. For these individuals when the entertainer shows up it's party time--even if it's 11:00 a.m..

In some instances, particularly at facilities that specialize in Alzheimers Disease, and most of the patients are in the advanced stages, you are playing to both the patients and staff. And, if you play at these locations monthly, you, unfortunately, see the devastating effects of the disease first hand. The patient that was dancing with the staff a few months ago may be asleep in his or her wheelchair and totally unresponsive the next time you see them. Fortunately, at least in this part of the Mid-Atlantic Region, the caregivers provide outstanding service.

The retirement communities where I perform have very active residents, even those who are well into the 80s and early 90s. Granted, the women outnumber the men by a huge margin, but everyone loves to dance, they are upbeat and positive about life, and they too are always looking forward to your next performance.

There's a huge contrast between performing the niteclub/bar/restaurant circuit and the NH circuit, both in working environment and payscale. I've done both and if given the choice, I'll take the NH circuit--no contest.

Good Luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy