Without a song or a dance what are we...

Not only is that headline a quote from one of the SingWell Community Choir's favourite songs to sing - it is also the Title of a new report:

"The Commission on Dementia and Music has called on local authorities and the NHS to recognise the ‘therapeutic potential of music’, saying it is a ‘powerful but under-used tool’."

This report outlines a lot of findings about the effect, impact and importance of music and song on elderly people and those with dementia - raising an important issue on the lack of quality provision and utilisation by care providers.

Basically neatly summing up the whole purpose and reason that we - SingWell - exist. Frankly we couldn't have put the need for our existence better. Read this insightful article on the commissioned report.

“Music is not a ‘nice add-on’, it has tangible, evidence based benefits and reaches out beyond the home to the care sector, hospitals, hospices and across the wider community.

“People with dementia often live in a silent world. Yet music can bring a person back to life. The ability to connect to music is an innate aspect of being human; having a diagnosis of dementia need not undermine this”. Neil Utley from The Utley Foundation is quoted saying this in the article on carehome.co.uk