Lockdown Fun: Seniors Pose as Album Covers and Paintings

Credit: Robert Speker

Who’s too old to play dress-up? Nobody, according to seniors in long-term care homes who are posing as iconic album covers and famous paintings during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Robert Speker, activities coordinator at the Sydmar Lodge Care Home in Edgware, England, devised a plan to pose residents as rock stars to recreate classic album covers. The project, which aimed to boost spirits during months of extended isolation, has proved highly entertaining to viewers as well as the seniors involved.

Seniors recreate The Beatles’ iconic album cover for Abbey Road.
Credit: Robert Speker

Toba David emulates the King of Pop himself.
Credit: Robert Speker

The images, such as those of 93-year-old Vera posing as Adele and Roma Cohen as David Bowie — complete with the lightning bolt across her face — have gone viral. Several staff have even participated, with four caregivers posing as Queen.

Credit: Robert Speker

“I made the suggestions of which albums and which resident best suited the look, or had a vague similarity to the artist,” Speker explained on Twitter. “Gladly all of them were enthused and perhaps a bit bemused by the idea, but happy to participate.”

The Getty Inspires Seniors to Pose as Paintings

Meanwhile, Amenida Seniors Community in British Columbia, Canada, has embraced a similar project. Recreation manager Karen Schaefer, who discovered the Getty Museum Challenge on social media, encouraged residents to participate in recreating paintings using household items.

“Self Portrait with a Sunflower” by Anthony van Dyck (circa 1632)

Credit: Karen Schaefer

“It’s three stages: the hilarious part is coming up with an idea and me printing off half a dozen portraits,” Schaefer told CBC. “And then they go off and hunt for props. And the third part is we giggle our way through photo shoots.”

A senior poses as a famous Korean painting by artist Kim Hyun-Jung.
Credit: Karen Schaefer

“We are all killing ourselves laughing,” said Ursula Fraatz, 88, after posing as Queen Marie of Romania in Philip de Laszlo’s 1924 painting. “We do all miss the outside world. But we are having fun.”

For those who prefer pen pals, CHD Living launched an initiative last October enabling individuals to “Adopt a Grandparent” at one of its 13 care facilities in England. After the pandemic began, the project went digital, and has since drawn tens of thousands of volunteers from around the globe. “It was really about relieving isolation and loneliness, and intergenerational communication,” Head of Hospitality Shaleeza Hasham said in an interview with ABC. “It’s been such a heartwarming — overwhelming, actually — response.”