Care home to form residents’ choir
Sing-along sessions brighten up life for dementia patients
MUSIC-LOVING residents at an award-winning care home in North Wales are to form their own choir. Singing sessions have long been a part of daily life at Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home on the outskirts Caernarfon.
The centre, which boasts first class facilities for people living with dementia, has its own music room and activities range from singing to enjoying concerts from leading artistes.
During lockdown kind-hearted opera superstar Sir Bryn Terfel and his wife, former Royal harpist Hannah Stone, sent a video message to the residents with a recording of the gospel song, If I can help somebody.”
Now Pendine’s musician-in-residence Nia Davies Williams has teamed up with Forget-Me-Not chorus to hold regular singing sessions and the aim is to create the centre’s own choir.
Nia said: “The residents love singing and for many of them music was a key part of their lives. Many of them were members of choirs and have fond memories of taking part in the practices, taking part in concerts and even going on tour.
“It is amazing to see the effect music can have. Many dementia patients have lost so much of their memories and can’t remember their words when they try to speak but you start playing a tune they know and they’ll sing along and remember every word from a tune they heard 50 years ago.
“We have linked up with the
Forget-me-Not chorus and we have weekly sessions on Zoom which work very well. Now we will have monthly in person sessions too led by one of the chorus’ leaders. And our aim is to create our own choir.
The Forget-me-Not chorus launched in Abergele last year, and is now part of one of Wales’ leading dementia charities, organising weekly singing sessions for people with dementia.
The first session at Bryn Seiont Newydd was led by aspiring opera singer Rebeca Kirkby. Rebeca, 22, is originally from Northampton and studied music at Bangor University graduating last year with First Class Honours.
She joined the Forget-me-Not chorus last autumn and leads the weekly rehearsals in Abergele as well as sessions at two other care homes in the Colwyn Bay area.
“I love anything to do with music and working with people. The residents here are very warm and welcoming and we sing a wide range of songs and there’s something for everyone,” said Rebeca.