Our GSA Singing for the Brain sessions have launched

Singing for the Brain is an initiative developed by the Alzheimer’s Society. It brings people affected by dementia together to sing a variety of songs they know and love, in a fun and friendly environment. It also includes vocal exercises that help improve brain activity and wellbeing.

Earlier this year our Dementia Care Manager Jenny Mullinder was trained to deliver our own sessions in our care homes, rather than us having to take our customers out to other venues to take part.

Our first session took place on Thursday 8 June at Bennett House in Telford and has been held there weekly since.

Jenny said: “The first sessions have gone really well, we started with 12 residents, and we now have 15 and growing.

“It is a well-known fact that music and singing can improve the wellbeing for someone living with dementia and 100% of people who go along to Singing for the Brain sessions say they’ve improved their life in some way.

“Everyone who attended our first session really enjoyed it, one gentleman who used to go around the care homes singing and is now a customer at Bennett House even bought his guitar, his family member said he was getting back to how he used to be.

“Another customer whose communication was poor, is responding well to the music and singing. Colleagues have used this experience to support them with their communication and they now sing the words of whatever they are asking the customer and they respond better to it.

“We have also had one customer steal the show by singing a couple of songs on her own.

“I would say it’s been really successful, and you can see the uplift in our customers wellbeing after the sessions.

“Once we feel confident running the sessions, we will then open them up to our neighbours and local community so that they can also experience the amazing benefits that Singing for the Brain offers.”

Jenny will be starting sessions at Silver Birches in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham from August, and our Activities Assistant Louise Hiorns and our Personal Assistant Glenda Tambs are currently completing their training to be able to deliver Singing for the Brain sessions so we can offer them to more of our care homes.

You can find out more about Singing for the Brain on the Alzheimer’s Society website.