Senior Living Network
Programs for
Mind-Body-Spirit
A Fresh Way To View Senior Lifestyle
Unlimited access to a variety of programs
designed for seniors.
For senior living communities: Independent living, assisted living, memory care, nursing homes, and veterans homes.
Announcing 3 Channels to Enhance Senior Living - available by subscription (more info and video below):
1. Awakenings 2. Music & Movement 3. Peaceful Journeys
Call Donna Surface at 218-349-7908 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Spiritwood Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit Organization
Memories and Music
Click on the TV in the picture below for our overview video...
Senior Living Network
Pat and Donna Surface
and
The Spiritwood Foundation
Music and musical performances are integral to the human experience.
With dementia, we see music break through to memories that were deeply buried, and thought lost.
CLICK ON PAT & DONNA SURFACE IN THE BLACK BOX FOR A LIVELY & FUN SUBSCRIPTION PROMO VIDEO: 
Hi!
We are Pat and Donna Surface of the Spiritwood Foundation.
We are committed to penetrating the barriers that engulf the aged with vibrant musical performances.
That is why we created the Senior Living Network - for Senior Living Communities (assisted living, independent living, memory care, nursing homes, and Veterans Homes).
Like Netflix For Seniors
Our new Senior Living Network is a subscription service for senior living communities - providing a variety of pre-recorded, live performances designed to engage, entertain, and spark memories.
Remember how you looked forward to weekly musical shows?
Through the 50s, 60s, and 70s...we loved them all - television entertainment we couldn't wait to tune into each week. We have created a fresh but familiar version of these beloved shows.
We will be recording hundreds of live, multi-media performances to build weekly shows for seniors - everything from musical variety and gospel shows to peaceful, calming wilderness shows and interactive seated exercise and dance shows. Every week communities will receive fresh new shows, but the library of shows will always be available to view on demand. Over time this library will grow - and our Senior Living Network will be like Netflix for seniors.
The Awakenings Channel
Awakenings is an entertainment channel on this network that features weekly musical shows called: Jukebox Time Machine (jukebox hits through the decades), the Hallelujah Gospel Show, Coffeehouse with Pat Surface, and Holiday Specials.
The Music & Movement Channel
Another channel on the Senior Living Network is Music & Movement - with the shows: Get Fit While You Sit (seated exercise), Dancin' In The Seats (seated dance), and See The Music (interactive sign language). Donna is an excercise physiologist and Fitness Director certified by the American College Of Sports Medicine.
Regular exercise and strength training is an important part of seniors’ lives, helping to forestall physical as well as cognitive decline. And group sessions conducted with the participants in a seated position tend to minimize differences in fitness levels, contributing toward a more positive group experience.
The Peaceful Journeys Channel
Therapeutic Music Videos - Music to Enhance The Healing Environment
Wilderness and Wildlife underscored by peaceful instrumental music.
Featuring Marina Whight - Certified Music Practitioner on Harp, and Mark Billman on Cello
Movie Magic - How We Use Technology To Address Social Isolation
We have learned that it can be useful to swerve out of your lane and navigate unfamiliar territory. Innovative technology is available...and look at us, ahem, baby-boomers...we have harnessed it to improve social connection and stimulation for our elders. By using a giant green screen behind our performances, state of the art video recording and editing software, special sound equipment, and an intuitive camera, we can create movie magic with entertaining, compelling videos that visually bring music and lyrics to life. Between the videos and the Performance Sign Language, audiences can actually 'See The Music'.
Awakenings Radio - A Free Service
With a subscription to the recorded video programs, we will provide a variety of free in-house 'radio channels.'
"Music remains one of the most magical, inexplicable, and fulfilling aspects of the human experience."
Watch a short, amazing video that punctuates that quote...click on 'the power of music' in the black box.
So Many Opportunities
There are thousands of senior living communities, nursing homes, memory care facilities, and Veterans Homes around the country - with more than a million residents residing there.
The challenges of the pandemic initiated the pursuit of this initiative. We saw what was happening to our elders during this crisis and developed the Senior Living Network - a solution not just for these unprecedented times, but the future. The fact is, even without a pandemic, seniors living in housing facilities sit and wait for diversion. Every time we visit one we hear...
"When are you coming back???"
For senior community residents, activities and family visits are important ways for them to feel socially connected. Visitors and entertainment link them to the outside world. Even in the best of times, senior living communities can feel isolated.
This makes music programming more important.
Along with performing our multi-media shows in theaters, we have performed at nursing homes, assisted living communities, memory care facilities, and Veterans Homes for many years. Our performances are interactive and fun, combining sing-alongs, 'Sign'-alongs (Donna is a Performance Artist In Sign Language) and dance.
And that has been a joy.
When senior communities and facilities locked down in 2020, all services and programs were suspended. These restrictions created a sad, isolated, and lonely environment, with lasting ramifications.
Social isolation and loneliness are major risk factors that have been linked to poor physical and mental health. The Senior Living Network will provide interactive programming that seniors can participate in and enjoy.
A Personal Story
In 2004 Donna lost her father, Rocco Michael Passaretti, to Alzheimer's Disease. A WWII hero, Daddy's greatest passions were his family, his army service, and music. Even when he did not know us anymore, couldn't remember what a fork was for, he never lost his music. He loved to listen to Pavorati sing the aria, Nessun Dorma. We played it for him in his final moments - and as Pavorati's magnificent voice soared at the end of the aria, my father's arm rose to the sky...along with his spirit.
Please Read This! It's One Of Our Remarkable Awakenings Experiences:
Hi Donna and Pat,
Thank you so much for making the long journey to bring your music and art to Alexandria. The residents and staff of Grand Arbor were truly enriched by your performance. I’ve since been bombarded by requests to have you return as soon as possible and have witnessed numerous people aglow with gratitude and joy as they recount the feelings and emotions that were evoked during your performance.
In the healthcare industry, we often associate caring for individuals with things such as blood pressure checks, administering medication and stethoscopes.
However, providing true care encompasses not only taking care of the physical body but also the spiritual and emotional aspects of being human. During your visit you were able to provide an amazing amount of fulfillment and enjoyment to one of our memory care residents named Jack. Jack is a retired high school band & orchestra instructor who’s life has been filled with music. Although Jack’s dementia impairs him from having the ability to speak very much, it has in no way impaired his ability to be spoken to by music. During your performance, Jack had an awakening that was seen physically by his radiating smile but also felt emotionally by his intense engagement as he was carried away and swept Over the Rainbow. Jack was emotionally inside of the music and was keeping time, anticipating key changes and feeling the crescendos and decrescendos. This kind of “care” is every bit as important-if not more.
Thank you for enriching the life of Jack and all the staff and residents here at Grand Arbor. I look forward to working with you again soon.
All my best,
Laura Kremer
Life Enhancement Coordinator
Grand Arbor Nonprofit Senior Lifestyle Provider
GIVING BACK...
Subscription sales will benefit the Spiritwood Foundation (more about the Foundation's impact here).
Musical Shows Available by Subscription
Jukebox Time Machine - Classic Jukebox Hits Through The Decades
Hallelujah Gospel Show
Coffeehouse with Pat Surface
Peaceful Journeys - Wilderness and Wildlife with Peaceful Instrumentals
Featuring our Telly-Award Winning Boundary Waters Videos
Bonus Feature Videos: Lloyd LaPlant, Dr. Lynn Rogers, Will Steger, Sigurd Olson, Joe Seliga
Music and Movement with Donna Surface - Seated Exercise and Seated Dance programs.
Awakenings Free In-House 'Radio' Channels
Each channel offers hours of music from our catalog
Classic Hits
Gospel Favorites
NAP - Nice And Peaceful - Instrumentals/Music Therapy
Bluegrass/Country
Celtic
Call Donna Surface at 218-349-7908 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.