Singing group helps dementia patients to remember

A singing group that supports people diagnosed with dementia has celebrated its first anniversary.

Volunteers and members of Let's Sing to Remember meet every two weeks at St Mary's Church Hall, in Thornbury, south Gloucestershire.

The group was created in April last year after the former local Singing for the Brain sessions, run by the Alzheimer's Society, ended following the Covid pandemic.

Co-founder Gill Dunkley, said: "It gives comfort to those dealing with dementia because they can still sing, often that's one of the last things to go because they go back to old memories - so it's great."

Gill Dunkley and Julie Roberts founded the group in April 2024

The group, which supports people with a range of memory impairments, was founded with money that Ms Dunkley received from her late father.

He had been a carer for his wife for many years, and had become a volunteer, along with his daughter, at the former singing group run by the Alzheimer's Society.

"When it ceased during the pandemic, I realised there was a need for something to take its place," said Ms Dunkley.

"My father thought it was really important to continue to have a group for local people," she added.

Alzheimer's Society still runs several Singing for the Brain groups across the south west of England.

But Lorna Robertson, regional service manager, said the charity decided against reopening the Thornbury group after the pandemic.

"We have groups across Bristol so Kingswood, Fishponds, Downend," she said.

"There is also a social replication which Alzheimer's Society have created where other organisations such as care homes can have Singing for the Brain groups as well and we work with people to support them to deliver that."

'It all came flooding back'

Let's Sing to Remember is run by volunteers, including Ms Dunkley and the group's other co-founder, Julie Roberts.

She used to take her late father, who had Alzheimer's, to the former singing group run by the Alzheimer's Society.

"He would sing along, he loved it," said Ms Roberts.

"He didn't even need to look at the words, it all came flooding back."

A 'powerful tool'

Research, published in November 2024, highlighted several health and wellbeing benefits from singing, including improvements on memory and mood, and positive impacts on relationships.

Music Therapist, Maggie Grady, from the charity Mindsong in Gloucestershire, said is a "powerful tool".

"When we engage in music making, every area of the brain that scientists are able to map is engaged," she told BBC Radio Bristol.

"It's one of the only activities that scientists have found that this happens."