This creative piece is based on an encounter I had whilst working in an elderly care home during the pandemic. Specific details and names in this reflection have been altered to ensure anonymity.  

This song is written about David, a resident at the care home, and his wife Jane. David became a resident at the care home shortly before the pandemic, Jane had resisted him moving to the home for as long as possible after his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, but his care needs had become greater than both she and visiting carers could manage. The lyrics are written from the perspective of Jane; they express her anguish over their separation after 62 years of marriage, and the frustration she felt that it was unfair to not allow visitors. Jane usually drove to the home at weekends and begged the manager to allow her into the home if she wore full PPE like the staff. Instead, we had to compromise wheeling David up to the window so she could wave to him and see he was safe. Later in summer, Jane could sometimes sit in the garden 2 metres away from David with PPE on, but he was very unwell and confused by this point. Sadly, David passed away as the family didn’t wish for life-sustaining treatment.  

I chose this encounter because I felt a lot of pain for both of them and David and Jane’s story led me to reflecting on a more national level. I feel the pandemic robbed them of their final time together before the end of David’s life. I think this piece and their story will resonate with many families that have lost loved ones during the pandemic – whether this is to Covid or otherwise, we have all been separated from the ones we love. This piece is called ‘Waiting’ because we have all spent time waiting; waiting for the end of lockdown, waiting to hear that a loved one in the hospital is ok, waiting to hug or kiss someone we care about. 

I chose to write music for this piece as I wanted the different components of the music and video to come together to represent different parts of their story and this encounter. The song incorporates both major and minor melodies, signifying the highs and lows of their relationship. I kept the piano simple to show the monotony of the pandemic. I asked my partner to sing the harmonies in the chorus to represent both David and Jane talking to one another over the phone during this time. I chose to use the background to represent Jane’s feelings of loneliness, the male in the photo is still there – but faded and distant. Finally, I wanted to add lyrics to the video to help tell the story. I kept everything monochrome to demonstrate the melancholia of the time and put the focus on the feeling of the music, as I hope it encompasses that feeling of ‘missing’ or ‘loss’ that we have all experienced at some point in our lives.