The Dementia Choir

I watched this last night [ recorded it ], and found it wonderful. It made me cry, especially the young man with the very young family. I feel everyone should watch it.

I came back on a high from my weekly choir session and watched this amazing programme. It was moving, inspiring and heart breaking all at the same time. I can fully understand the impact of music on the brain. I get a real buzz from singing which must go into the emotion centre bit of the brain. It amazes me how a line or snippet of tune of a long forgotten song can revive that whole song in my brain. It's like a re-awakening.

The other day my 12 year old DGS got points in his music lesson at school for being the only one to know 'My Bonny Lies over the Ocean'. I used to sing this to him when he was a baby though he doesn't remember that and he has never heard it since! There is so much in the human brain that needs to be investigated!

I watched the second episode of this last night - an extremely emotional programme. The growing confidence and social interactions of the participants was heartening. I attend my first session in July and am looking forward to it.

I identified with the former professional singer who talked about having lost so much. For me losing the ability to read music was upsetting but I have rationalised and am now content with listening. Interestingly when I was in the Caribbean recently we went to an African drumming session (proper stuff for the locals) and I completely lost myself in the rhythms with their shamanistic qualities. I think this whole concept of cerebral response to music is fascinating.

I shall look to see if there are any research projects I can participate in myself.

Izabella I am so happy to read your post as I was thinking of you as I watched last night.

My DGD works in a care home. Many of her residents have different types of dementia and do enjoy music but a choir in which they could be actively involved would be more rewarding than a singalong!
DGD has pushed for more music from the 50's and 60's and a bit less of the wartime stuff.
She has a lovely singing voice but I don't know if, even as a mature 19yearold, she'd have confidence to try to introduce this activity!

I do hope your choir brings you satisfaction and I am sure you'll put as much into it as you'll get out of it!

Wonderful - not a dry eye in the house or on my sofa.
I would like to think the Dementia Choir can somehow continue to meet and sing as it has been so beneficial to them all and to their families.
In the same way that pain relief may not cure an illness but makes it bearable, music seems to do just the same thing. And given that more and more of us are going to experience dementia at first or second hand, how important is it to use everything available to improve the quality of life.
Your observations are especially valuable Izabella as you are living it, not just observing

There are Singing for the brain sessions in most areas.

It was a lovely programme, both for the therapeutic experience of those who took part and also for the light it shone on a very overlooked group of people (including carers) - also for the knowledge gleaned as to how the brain works and what effect music has on the brain.

My only reservation is, as with the Grenfell Choir programme, that this choir gave people so much enjoyment and confidence, but was there something similar put in place for them after the filming of the programme? To have had such a wonderful experience and then have it snatched away would, I think, be very depressing.

I`ve just seen the second half of this programme. Oh my, what a tear jerker. It was wonderful to see and hear how the choir made everyone feel so good. I agree that it would be a pity if these people can`t keep this thing going.