Researchers at the University of Nottingham are looking to form a new dementia singing group in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, to further study the effects of singing on people with dementia.
The experts are looking for around 80 pairs of people with dementia, and their main carer, to join the study. About a third of this total will be recruited from the Mansfield area, with other singing groups starting in Lincoln and Leicestershire later. Pairs will be randomly assigned to attend weekly singing sessions of 90 minutes at the start of the study, or wait and attend weekly singing sessions 12 weeks later, with no singing activity during this brief window. This will allow the academics to compare the effects of singing on the two groups.
The transformative power of singing for people with dementia was brought to the public's attention in BBC1's documentaries, 'Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure'. People living with dementia came together to form a choir that has become a national sensation, performing at the Splendour Festival in 2022 and releasing a single 'What's Your Story?' recorded at Abbey Road studios. Their experiences showed the power of music to improve the lives and wellbeing of people with dementia.
A study of online singing groups conducted by the university during the Covid-19 pandemic explored how this shared activity can support wellbeing during a time of social isolation. Now, this year's study will allow for further research to examine the effects of group singing on the quality of life of people recently diagnosed with dementia, and the relationship between them and their carer.
The singing groups will be fun, informal and no singing experience is necessary. The first set of singing sessions are planned to be hosted at St Peter's Centre, Church Side, and will be held on a Monday afternoon.
Most people with dementia are likely to spend years of their lives with a relative or close friend as their principal carer. There is a shortage of effective therapeutic interventions to people in this situation, but singing is popular, accessible to most people and relatively inexpensive to deliver at scale.
Dr Schneider continued: "The logic of its effect is that the social, emotional, and physiological stimulation helps to maintain mental functioning; an enjoyable shared experience may strengthen the caring relationship; participation can give access to information, advice and peer support, particularly for the carers; and long-term care may be delayed, with consequent savings to the state while meeting the preferences of most people with dementia to remain at home as long as possible."
The singing groups will be fun, informal and no singing experience is necessary. The first set of singing sessions are planned to be hosted at St Peter's Centre, Church Side, and will be held on a Monday afternoon.
Researchers will use questionnaires to collect information about quality of life, mood, cognition, and the relationship between care partners. They will also talk to people who attend the singing groups and observe sessions, to understand how people take part, what they get from it and whether they experience physical or mental changes over time.
People who attend singing groups tell us that they enjoy the music and getting out. Meeting people in a similar situation is an added bonus, some say. Still, we do not know whether regular participation in singing sessions makes a measurable difference to people's experience of dementia or their survival in the community. Moreover, there are many people who do not have access, due to lack of funding, as well as the lack of hard evidence to justify investment in this intervention. This study will help to remedy that.
Preliminary Evaluation of Singing in Dementia (PRESIDE) is a necessary step to a formal evaluation of the costs and benefits of community singing. It will gather essential information to design a definitive trial, which will follow if PRESIDE gets satisfactory results.
