An Instagram reel of seniors who live at The Waterford in Tsawwassen drumming along to Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk has more than 1.5 million views and is going strong!
"We posted this reel in early in November, but suddenly last week it gained momentum, and before we knew it, we'd hit 1.5 million views," says Janice Miller, Marketing Manager for Bria Communities, the parent company of The Waterford. While she's not entirely sure how the video went viral, she knows the content plays a part.
"First of all, everyone loves Uptown Funk!" she laughs. "Beyond that, it's got a message of hope. We want to remind people that getting older doesn't mean you stop having fun." Janice notes that their Instagram voice is unique. "It's a little cheeky because seniors still enjoy well-played puns, spicy jokes, and belly laughs. Our photos and videos are vibrant and active because that's what life is like in Bria Communities."
The 25-second video features residents using drumsticks on exercise balls and following stylized actions to the rhythm of Mark Ronson's catchy 2015 song. The song was number one the year it came out, and has maintained popularity, with the official video garnering 4.8 billion views on YouTube.
"The seniors who live with us have a lot of opportunities to be active every day," says Kelsey Anderson, Wellness and Lifestyle Manager at The Waterford. "But doing the same class each day is boring. I'm always looking for new fitness ideas to introduce. I found this one on Pinterest and decided to implement it."
The idea of a workout that involves drumming took a while to catch on.
When Anderson first introduced Drumming To The Beat, she had three to five residents participate in each session. This fall, she changed the location of the class to the main lounge, and the class grew. "Residents could see what was happening and how much fun it was. Now it's so popular that the class is always full."
Bria Communities is intentionally cultivating a culture where seniors have maximum opportunities for wellness.
The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) invites individuals of all ages to fully engage in life with all seven dimensions of wellness: physical, emotional, intellectual, vocation, social, environmental and spiritual.
"A class like Drumming to the Beat gets your heart rate up and gets you stretching and moving," notes Tanya Snow, Director of Bria Communities, "But the wellness benefits go beyond the physical. You're involved in a group activity, engaging your brain in keeping the rhythm, accomplishing a task, and enjoying music— it connects so many wellness dots!"
The Waterford residents featured in the video learned about their viral fame this week when Kelsey showed the video at her monthly resident meeting. "They can't believe so many people have watched it," she says. "They're getting ready to sign autographs!"
Head over to Bria Communities Instagram channel and watch the viral video. If you're inclined—follow us, like the video, comment on it and share it on your channel.
