Sickness bingo, crude jokes and gallows humor are everyday life for the pensioners at the Nordseterhjemmet in Oslo. That’s thanks to social worker Håkon Sand (31). – It started with me telling jokes, filming it and posting it on TikTok, without showing the pensioners’ faces. I quickly noticed that this was something people wanted to see more of, says Sand. He expanded the concept and brought in some of the older people on the TikTok sketches. – They were positive and believed that they had nothing to lose, so I drove on. It was the start of a success. Today, Sand has over 110,000 followers on TikTok and 43,000 followers on Instagram. The comment fields are sprinkled with love and joy. One of those who has charmed the audience is Haldis Jahr (98). She is Sand’s biggest fan and has named him her bonus son. – Håkon is fantastic. We have enjoyed this a lot as the weeks and months have gone by, she tells news. – Old people have a good sense of humor Laughter echoes in the corridors at the Christmas-decorated day center on Nordstrand. For Sand, humor in the workplace is important – something he wants to convey through his TikTok account. – Where do you get your ideas from? – I look a lot at what’s trending on TikTok, and then I think about how I can link it to elderly care. Otherwise, it just pops up in my head, he says. He feels the videos have given a different view of nursing homes, and that they have managed to calm people’s fears about getting old. – There are several people who say that now they are not afraid of coming to a nursing home. It’s nice that I can help to reduce the fear of the future, he says, laughing. Bjarne Prøven (96) lives in the old people’s home and is always involved in Håkon Sand’s silly inventions. Photo: Ulrik Kramer / news Pensioners come to the day center several times a week to socialize with new friends. For many of them, the day center is the highlight of the week. – I see them as my friends even though they are over 90 years old. They are very funny people. Willing to get more people into care for the elderly When Haldis Jahr retired, she didn’t know what to do with her days. Now she has been a regular visitor to the day center for almost ten years. She felt life took on a new meaning after Sand started working there, and introduced her to TikTok. – I was skeptical at the start, because there are influencers like that and I didn’t want to be part of that. But then he came up with some jokes and suggestions for what we could film, and it was very funny, she says. Sickness bingo tends to be popular at the day care centre. Haldis Jahr does not go along with all of Håkon Sand’s inventions. – I’m too old for a little too much “on the edge” humour. The hours at the day center will not be the same without the “bonus son”, Håkon Sand. The videos went so well that even several German TV channels have visited the “stars” at the day centre. – The elderly who come here are very receptive to the slightly crazy, which you might think old people cannot tolerate. Now he hopes that more people will be inspired to work with the elderly. – I would like to get more people into elderly care, and change the image people have of the profession. Many people probably think it’s boring, but it can be a lot of fun, he says. Spectacular, formal and twisted The young foster carer is not just a spreader of joy at the day care centre. For four years he has sung in Oslo Fagottkor – a professional choir made up of gay men. Now he is busy rehearsing for the choir’s big Christmas show together with KORK (Broadcasting Orchestra). This year marks 50 years since the decriminalization of homosexuality, and on that occasion they will put on a spectacular show in Oslo Spektrum. In the Christmas show, Håkon Sand plays, among other things, an old lady who is skeptical of “gnomes”, which refers to homosexuality. Photo: Jörg Wiesner – We refer to the anniversary, among other things, in a Christmas game where we have twisted it to mean that it is 50 years since it became legal to be a Santa. It will be a lot of fun. The bassoon choir has impressed the Norwegian public for 18 years, and the choir has grown steadily larger. – The bassoon choir has always been a mixture of formal and a little crazy twisty, and in Oslo Spektrum there will be a bit more of everything. This year we practice and tinker with things a little more than before, he says. Sand is ready for a packed Oslo Spektrum is sold out and in the hall comes the guest Håkon has been looking forward to singing for the most; Haldi’s Jahr. – Håkon has a fantastic voice, and I love the choir he’s in, says Jahr. A bunch of the Bassoon Choir’s members on stage in Oslo Spektrum. Photo: Jörg Wiesner She has been to a show with the Bassoon Choir before, but even though she has lost a lot of her sight in the past year, she is looking forward to this year’s show even more. – Last year I was at the Christmas show with my family, but this year it will be really great to hear Håkon sing in Oslo Spektrum itself, she concludes. Catch “Christmas show with Oslo Fagottkor and KORK” on 16 December at 21:35 on NRK1 and news TV.
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Håkon has made Haldis (98) a TikTok star – now he himself will shine – news Culture and entertainment
