This Choir Features Singers With Dementia

At least 67 choirs that recruit people with dementia and their caregivers have formed worldwide in recent years, according to the Giving Voice Initiative in the Washington Post . New York University's Center for Cognitive Neurology, for example, began a choir to study its effects on people with dementia and their family members. The researchers determined participants with early to middle-stage dementia had more communication with caregivers and a better overall quality of life. Such choirs provide stimulation and improved social connections, while also offering a structured opportunity to enjoy activity with loved ones. Singing is often utilized as a therapeutic strategy for persons with dementia, with research suggesting music-related memories are retained longer. Another example is the Good Memories Choir in Chicago, which uses volunteers to notice whether a member needs help, to support them by singing the correct notes or rhythms, and/or to get them back on track if they lose their place.