The Dementia Choir

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.

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.

There are Singing for the brain sessions in most areas.

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

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!

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.

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 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.

A moving post Izabella thank you
More power to your?elbow!

Watched this on catch up yesterday and so touching, especially the poor young man whose partner has to deal with the fact she is going to loose him.

kittylester thanks for the helpful post. I had not heard of the charity. For myself I use S*****fy and have made various playlists. This mornings choice, early on, was Gregorian chants, tonight it may be Trance Nation or Gary Numans Songs from a Broken World. Who knows? All have their place.

Kitty where my mum is they play the old tunes all the time - Vera Lynn, Jim Reeves etc and it does seem to make them all content. Not sure my mum hears much though as she is deaf but she is content.

I have recorded this but saw the trailer with that poor young man. I also watched that Miriam Margolyes programme about death, which was also very good. There was a lovely young man in it, I think he was 18, battling liver and bowel cancer. Life can be so cruel.

It might be worth trying a CD dragonfly. They didn't go into it much last night but musical memories can engender feelings of contentment which last longer than just when the music is playing.

I think there are compilations on the Alzheimers website.

Yes Kitty Vicky McClure is wonderful, totally natural. The programme brought me to tears. My mum has dementia but she has never been one for music so it would not help her, she has also never been one for joining in with things which I find a pity and at 98 I don't think she will change.

I also meant to say that I have two friends who run Singing for the Brain groups and they have a couple of participants who are totally non verbal but join in singing with great gusto.

Isnt that fabulous?

Izabella have you heard of Sally Magnusson's Playlist For Life charity. She founded it after the death of her mother because she recognised how much music (and other sounds) meant to her mother when she had dementia.

www.playlistforlife.org.uk/

This was good for many reasons including educating people what it is like to have Alzheimers/dementia, as some of us still have levels of autonomy and choice - although this will diminish over time I know. My current husband said it didnt give him any more clues how to cope with my foggy days and general problems, but it did increase his understanding of how it affects us all differently.

For my own part, I start a singing group for the brain in June and found the programme so reassuring as I have been worrying about my awful singing voice. I am now settled and secure in the knowledge it will help and stimulat my brain. I can no longer read music for some reason, but I get pleasure and joy from listening to music - preferably without words as I cannot remember them anyway.

My great sadness lay with the young family being robbed of years of family life. I was diagnosed this year, but was able to live a normal life until just before this. For that I am truly thankful.

I thank all those who are involved in research projects and those spearheading projects.

I loved this programme- Vicky McClure was fantastic! It was wonderful to see how those with dementia responded to the music, and the warmth and encouragement of all of those around them. My mum loved to sing, and - even when she struggled with her memory - she always remembered the words of her favourite songs
I am very much looking forward to the next programme.

?? very moving. Vicky did a great job.

Very moving. In tears throughout. What a lovely person VMc is.

It was really sad but uplifting too. It seems that the members of the choir gained much enjoyment and sense of achievement from this venture. It was a lovely programme and I'm looking forward to the second part.

The plight of the 31 year old man and his partner was particularly distressing, especially as their twins have a 50/50 chance of having inherited the rogue gene. I hope that one day there will be more effective treatment, or even a cure, for some or all of these types of dementia.

We were both in tears. Wonderful people.

When my mil got to advanced dementia, she reverted back to Afrikaans and 'lost' her English- although she had lived in England and only used English since 1948, and used to teach it.

The only time she would 'come alive' is when we played a tape of children's songs from South AFrica, in Afrikaans - she could not remember all the words- but some would pop out and she could hum the tune, on and off. How powerful music is.

Very very moving indeed.