Working with Senior Whole Health

Magic and Comedy Show Boston Massachusetts

I’ve been working a lot with Senior Whole Health ®. They hire me to “warm up” the crowd; I do 30- 40 minutes, and then hand them over to the pros. The idea is to provide a free magic show and get potential clients in the audience. My magical comedy show serves these audiences quite well.

In the real world where we meet, they run the gamut on health and mental capabilities. Many are sharp and witty; they enjoy Magic and the personal connections that are made during the performance. If not for this connection, I would not have contact with the elderly. How fortunate for me, we always have many friendly laughs.

Morgan Silver Dollars from the 19th Century

I do a routine with silver dollars; these are Morgan dollars from the 1800s. I always hand out one or two so someone can have a look and verify it’s truly a silver dollar. Choosing an older woman can prove interesting. Reminding them… “It’s not a souvenir.” Not losing their sense of humor, nine out of ten times, the woman will put the coin in her bra. “I’m not going in there,” I reply. “I’ll send Tony”, naming one of the elderly gentlemen.

One man had molecular degeneration and said, “I have to feel my way around.”. We always have a good time and a few laughs, which keeps us all going. The oldest attendee so far has been 99 years old.

An appreciative audience

I love these shows, and the audiences could not be more appreciative. Most of them aren’t getting out to the movies anymore. I work for 10- 15 people at a time. There are many others that choose to stay in their rooms. I suppose I see the ones who are in the best physical and mental health.

Perhaps they’ve lost interest? I’ll never know, but those who venture out always have a good time. Now that’s a lesson for all of us.

Joe Ferranti

Boston Magician