BY JESSIE WANG, LEAD WRITER (COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AWARENESS)
There’s plenty of evidence that music has ample cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits for both the young and the old. There are also a lot of studies that have looked at how music benefits your brain, for both the young and the old. So there’s no surprise that there’s evidence that music is useful for those with dementia (TWD).
But there’s something that’s missing in all of these studies. Dementia in particular involves physical and emotional demands, and as time progresses, the need for care increases. This means more time and energy is required from the carer as time goes on.
This is why the team behind Alchemy Chorus wanted to create a choir that welcomes both TWD and their carers, and in roughly equal numbers, too. After many years of volunteering in many community-based choirs, including The Rugby Choir and The Gospel Folk, Brian Triglone OAM founded Alchemy Chorus to create an all-inclusive choir for TWD, their carers, and volunteer musicians and singers.
Hi Brian. Thanks for the chat today. So tell us, what is the Alchemy Chorus and why did you start it?
In short, Alchemy Chorus is a working choir which is inclusive of those with dementia (TWD).
I started it after someone drew to my notice a similar choir in Minnesota. My background is in community choirs and small singing groups, and given the evidence that singing is one of the last abilities to be lost to dementia, starting a choir seemed a natural thing to do.
What makes the Alchemy Chorus different from other choirs that try to benefit members of the community who have dementia?
AC comprises three groups in roughly equal numbers: TWD, their carers, and our volunteers. All sing. This is the core of our inclusiveness. It means that TWD can participate in a normal community activity alongside their carers who also benefit enormously from that same normality.
I think you need to have had the experience of caring for a loved one with dementia to appreciate the importance of being able to go out and do something which is normal, satisfying, and above all not patronising of TWD; they can often sing far better than their carer!
All these benefits are enhanced by our holding at least two major concerts each non-COVID-19 year!
There are quite a few choirs or singing groups aimed at TWD; many are in nursing homes, and a few are in the wider community. But I don’t know of many in Australia using this exact all-inclusive concept.
I love that Alchemy Chorus involves the carers as well as the volunteers. The choir also involves volunteer musicians. What are the roles of these volunteers? How have they responded to the initiative?
Our volunteers are primarily there to sing, either in parts or unison, or play an instrument. But, of course, they also provide assistance in many practical ways such as welcoming people, making morning tea, and setting up. Within days of my announcing to another choir I was conducting that I needed volunteers to get AC off the ground, I had about 20 volunteers! These are special people. We now have a waiting list for those wanting to volunteer.
Wow! It’s so wonderful to hear that musicians in the community are so willing to help out. The love and generosity of musicians is boundless! I have no doubt that singing has impeccable benefits for TWD. What sorts of responses and positive effects have you seen so far?
In a recent survey which I undertook, the question on perceived benefits to TWD elicited responses such as a feeling of inclusiveness and worth, confidence and esteem, fun, and even improved memory — but I would stress that these are purely anecdotal responses. In any event, they appear to be short-lived and varied, and depend on the level of dementia.
For example, one member is recorded as saying on the way home from rehearsal that she knew she’d just had a good time, but couldn’t remember where. Another member, who had lost the ability to use cutlery, regained that ability at lunch after rehearsal. These sorts of short term benefits are consistent with the findings of many research studies which been undertaken on the benefits of music for TWD.
Responses from the carers all stressed the importance of the choir to them as a means of sharing with other carers, taking pride in hearing their partner sing — especially in a solo performance in a concert — and also feeling some pride in being part of a genuine performing, non-judgmental choir.
Thanks for sharing these heartwarming stories, Brian. What has being involved in Alchemy Chorus taught you about dementia? Any surprises there?
There is no cure for dementia, and by any measure it is a cruel disease, which gradually changes the dynamics of a relationship to the point where almost all responsibility falls on the carer. I have noticed that what might be described as mutual love between partners is gradually replaced by great affection and tenderness — a genuine caring. This is both heartbreaking and wonderful to witness.
I hadn’t appreciated just how important socialisation is to the carers and TWD. As the disease progresses, the carer gradually loses the partner they used to know and, apart from the sadness this brings, it can also result in a great feeling of loneliness. In some senses, the singing is almost secondary to that socialisation and sharing. At the very least, it is a very effective forum for it to occur.
On that note, socialisation is listed as one of the many factors which can help delay the onset of dementia. Whatever the benefits, I’ve lost count of the times that carers and TWD have told me that AC practice day is the best day of their week.
What does the Alchemy Chorus have coming up?
Like everyone else, we hope to be able to re-commence soon with a bigger audience and being indoors. We’ve just had a trial outdoor rehearsal, and we’ll continue with that idea until we can once again gather inside for a good sing.
What does this story mean to you?
If you like, you can shout Jessie a coffee for volunteering her time for Australian arts journalism. No amount too much or little 🙂
Images supplied.
Pay what you like securely via PayPal; 80% goes to the writer and 20% to our volunteer editor.
