Living with dementia magazine December 2010/January 2011

We all need a little bit of music in our life, and this applies to people with dementia and their carers as much as anyone else. Luke Bishop visited a Singing for the Brain group in Salisbury to find out how being part of a music group can help.

From its small beginnings as a pilot project between a local Alzheimer's Society office and the University of Reading, Singing for the Brain has blossomed into a nationwide, award-winning service. Its mix of group singing, physical and memory exercises and social interaction has helped to change the lives of both people with dementia and their carers.

The project got underway in 2003 as the brainchild of Chreanne Montgomery-Smith, Dementia Support Worker at the Society's West Berkshire office, and Dr Nicholas Bannan, then Director of the Music Teaching in Professional Practice at the University of Reading.

The findings of their project suggested that the singing group had positive effects on relationships and allowed people with dementia to engage positively with others and build friendships within a group.

Today, Singing for the Brain is a thriving service provided by the Society in 30 locations stretching from Jersey in the Channel Islands to Hambleton in North Yorkshire. The Salisbury group is particularly popular. In October, the Salisbury Journal presented a Local Hero Community Team Award to Julia Burton, who co-ordinates the group.

More recently, the service was awarded a £50,000 grant by the People's Millions after winning a public vote. This will enable eight new groups to get started.

Julia is certain of the positive effects the project has on people with dementia. She says,

'People will tell you that it is the highlight of their week. For many people, it is the only time that people with dementia and their carers can go out together, get involved with something together and be part of a big social group.'

The group meets every Thursday morning at a church hall in Harnham, near Salisbury. Ensuring that everyone gets involved is of utmost importance. Each session begins with a welcome song and then features a series of warm-ups involving physical activities which are linked with the songs and music. Although many of the songs performed are familiar from previous sessions, new songs are also introduced to ensure participants are being challenged by learning new things.

Julia adds,

'We start off with the welcome song which welcomes everybody to the session by name. Then we go into warm-ups where we do silly actions and songs and physical routines, some of which can be quite challenging. We use repetition to help with memory. Through the new songs people learn, they are able to recall information. It shows that new information can be gained, and retained, through singing.'

Mike Marsh, 61, has Alzheimer's disease and attends the group every week. He says,

'Coming here is wonderful and I find that it makes such a difference to my week. It really lifts you up outside of yourself, otherwise you would be absolutely fed up. It just brightens up your day.'

Jeff Baillie, 66, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease two-and-a-half years ago and has been attending the group for the last 18 months. He says,

'It is the camaraderie that I enjoy. When I am here I'm not concerned about telling people how I feel. I often stand up in public and say that we have all got the same problem, it is not going to go away but we can make the best of it,  particularly in this environment.'

Carers also benefit from the sessions. Mary Howard cares for her mother, Phyllis, who has had posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) for seven years which has left her blind. PCA is a rare condition caused by Alzheimer's disease.

Mary brings her to the group every week.

She says,

'Mum enjoys the experience of Singing for the Brain so much that coming along regularly enhances our relationship. It's so nice for people and such a happy group. It gives people with dementia a chance to take part in everyday life, because these are the kinds of activities that people without dementia do.

'I think it helps carers because caring can be a very solitary thing. Coming here means we can mix with other carers and volunteers and it helps us to feel less isolated.'

As a testament to the group's strength, last December it recorded a version of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus which was featured on a BBC Radio 3 programme.

To find out about Singing for the Brain groups in your area, contact your local Society office. The majority of the groups are based in the West region, however we hope more will develop elsewhere in the future.