Do you, or someone you care for, have dementia? Music therapy may help.
Uniting AgeWell has partnered with the University of Melbourne for a study into the effects of therapeutic singing groups on people with dementia living at home and their family carers.
People aged 60 years or older with a diagnosis of dementia, together with their family carers, are invited to participate in the 20-week study in 2018. The singing groups aim to support relationship quality and wellbeing for both.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either a “Remini-Sing” singing group, or a waitlisted control group who receive the music intervention at a later date if they wish.
Singing groups will be held at Uniting AgeWell sites in Brighton, Noble Park, Forest Hill, Hawthorn, Kingsville, Bendigo and Hobart.
All participants will complete health and wellbeing assessments prior to beginning, and at weeks 10 and 20 of the study.
The Remini-Sing therapeutic choir model was piloted at Austin Health and preliminary results show several benefits for both the person with dementia and their family carer.
The group is a supportive environment where participants will sing old favourites, learn new songs, connect with others and enjoy afternoon tea.
To get involved, contact Uniting AgeWell Special Projects Manager Carol Fountain on 9251 5997 or email [email protected].
Watch a video of the Remini-Sing group here: https://vimeo.com/237031082/9e7ae7353b
This study has been approved by the University of Melbourne Human Research Ethics Community Reference Number – 1749728.1