“a song…. is a boat… step into it and sail into music” – Clive Robbins In discussion with other singing facilitators, I have heard the phrase “just a sing-a-long” enough times to make me think about what a sing-a-long is, and…
Singing for Health Guides: Singing and People with Dementia
I was contacted a while back by a gentleman from Chattanooga in Tennessee wanting some advice on running singing groups for people living with dementia. I blithely emailed back saying that a blog post was in the pipeline on this…
End of the Beginning
Today I led my last Singing for the Brain group with the Alzheimer’s Society. I am surrounded by flowers and cards at home and feeling incredibly humbled by the whole experience. I have been with one of the groups for…
Inspirational Workshop Leaders
This is part two of the posts referring to the Alzheimer’s Society training day in Theale on 15th April 2011. Aside from the song-share and the Communicating with People with Dementia presentation, most of the day was led by Mary…
Mrs D – a rare glimpse
There’s a care home, just around the corner from my flat that I visit roughly once a month. I really like this care home – it’s got really high staff ratios, it feels like a home (rather than an institution)…
Singing and Health :: A Rich Seam
I recently came across Singing Hospitals for the first time at an evening Singing and Health event at the Dana Centre at London’s Science Museum. In trying to find out more about this organisation I came across this video of…
Singing for the Brain – How can I get involved?
I have been overwhelmed with emails and messages from people who are interested in Singing for the Brain, who would like to train as leaders, or who would like to take their friend or relative to a group. This is…
More than a musical success
On Thursday Age UK’s North Leigh Singing for Fun group performed a wonderful concert of summer music in Warneford Hospital Chapel. The concert was about forty minutes long and consisted of Irish songs, church music, African songs and finished off…
Singing for the Brain Training
On Sunday I attended a training day for people involved with Singing for the Brain. There were facilitators, volunteers, dementia support workers and fundraisers – over 60 in all. Great fun and it was useful to meet other people working…
Facilitating Singing for the Brain
A couple of Fridays ago I visited the Singing for the Brain group in Old Basing – led by Sue, an experienced singing facilitator. It was a good opportunity to see some best practice in action in the area of…