Singing for the brain, a positive activity for people with dementia

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Singing for the Brain at the Orchards

“Shalom my friends, Shalom my friends…” it’s the end of another Singing for the Brain session at the Orchards and calm falls on the group. Singers and helpers have been through a whole range of emotions, laughing, sometimes crying, some just tapping their feet, but everyone engaged with the memories and emotions that the music evokes.

For Viv Stiles and her team of carers, Singing for the Brain sessions for her residents with dementia have been a revelation.

“That hour and a half captures everything we are about at the Orchards,“ says Viv. “We create something special and vibrant and our residents prove just how skilful they can be. We sing songs from different eras, changing the mood and reaching out to residents in many ways.”

Even residents who don’t sing show, in their relaxed body language, just how much they benefit. Elsie has Alzheimer’s disease which affects her language. She has difficulty expressing herself in normal speech. “When we’re singing, she’s amazing,” says Viv, “She joins in with every word.”

Desmond who has vascular dementia, is often quiet and withdrawn, but he comes to life for the music, more engaged, singing songs, laughing and smiling. Resdients who spend much of the day on their feet will sit down and relax for the whole Singing for the Brain session. The shared singing is also proving a really positive shared experience for relatives, like Helen, who come to support. “While we’re singing we talk about things the songs remind us of, things we used to do, songs our grandparents sang,” explains Helen. “Margaret sometimes sleeps late in the morning and sometimes I come in and she’s not up, but the offer of singing gets her quickly out of bed. Afterwards, she may not remember what we did, but while we’re singing she says ‘this is fun’.