We were treated to a great post-lunch waker-upper at the
recent Arts in Care Seminar. Debra Salem, a folk-and-blues singer (see http://debrasalem.com/page6.htm and
click the juke box symbol for a blast of her fabulous voice) addressed the 100+
audience. ‘We’re going to sing together,’ she said, ‘let it all hang out!’ And
I must confess that I had an inner cringe. But I was completely wrong. We went
through some puffing and blowing exercises and soon were belting it out – all
together, in rounds, and then, amazingly, in harmony – all within a 15 minute
time slot!
Just before lunch, Margaret Meagher, from Arts and Health
Australia, had extolled the virtues of singing and quoted an article in the
Independent newspaper a few years ago which claimed that there are now more
community choirs in the UK than fish and chip shops!
FiOP runs courses on worshipping with people with dementia,
on which our inspiring associates Mary Moffett and Sue Kirkbride remind us again
and again that music is a great way of helping people with advanced dementia to
reach joyfully back into their sense of themselves and of God. And we hear
frequent tales of delight from Alzheimer Scotland’s choirs for people with
early onset dementia. Maybe we should have a singing day … ‘getting in touch
with your inner Maria Callas / Proclaimers / Petula Clark’ … any takers?
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