Singing in Choirs Might Reduce Loneliness for Older Adults

A study published in the Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences suggests singing in choirs reduces loneliness in older adults, reports ANI News . The study authors randomized 12 federally-funded senior support centers in San Francisco into a weekly group choir program aiming to engage adults 60 and older cognitively, physically, and socially. Over three years, 390 English and Spanish speakers were enrolled in either a group that started choirs right away or another group that began them six months later. Two-thirds of participants were from diverse backgrounds, 20 percent were financially strained, and 60 percent had multiple chronic conditions. During the study, singers completed memory, coordination, and balance tests, and questionnaires about their emotional well-being. In general, older men and women who sang in a choir for six months had noticeable improvements in loneliness and interest in life, while there were few significant group distinctions in terms of cognitive/physical outcomes and healthcare costs. The six-month retention rate was 92 percent.