“WITHOUT a song or a dance what are we? So I say thank you for the music,” the Abba lines are being sung enthusiastically to me by around 20 people, some of whom suffer from dementia.

They have all been brought together at a group called ‘Singing for the Brain,’ by a disease that can cruelly steal away people’s most precious memories, and can be devastating for both those affected by it, and those closest to them.

Yet listening to the jubilant singing, you would not think they had a care in the world.

“You wouldn’t know my wife has dementia when she is here. If you looked in the window you would think she was running the place,” says Bob Burrows, aged 73, from Hackleton, who brings his wife Gill along to the group at Abington Community centre every Friday.

Gill, who is aged 64, was diagnosed with dementia 18 months ago and outside of the group, Bob tells me her mood can be far from the happy woman who hands out song sheets throughout the session.

“I do enjoy singing,” she says.

“She can just relax and sing,” says Bob.

“Since she was diagnosed she has just got progressively worse, but she does remember the songs so it’s no strain on her and it’s no strain on me.

“Before she comes here she has forgotten what it is, but once she is here it is like she doesn’t have dementia and she thinks she doesn’t have it.

“Before she got dementia she was a very helpful and caring person. She worked for the ambulances.

“You see that part of her again here, she goes around looking after everyone again.”

The group also provides some solace for Bob, who is Gill’s only carer.

“When she’s at home she is entirely different, she is moody and can be difficult, this disease affects the closest first.

“I’m dealing with it but it does get to me, as I have no back up, I have no family to help.

“This is the only place I can go where I don’t have to worry about Gill.”

‘Singing for the Brain’ is a service provided by Alzheimer’s Society, which was started up in 2003. The idea came from Chreanne Montgomery-Smith, who was working in a residential home, when she was amazed by the positive affects singing had on people with dementia.

She started a group up in Berkshire, but the project only came to Northamptonshire last year, and the Northampton group celebrated its first birthday last week.

“Music can be very good for unlocking memories,” says Gill Shadbolt, locality manager, for the Alzheimer’s Society.

“People with dementia can lose the ability to communicate through speech and words and singing can help to bring that back.

“We started it in Northamptonshire in January 2010, attendance has grown and we already run five groups every week, Northampton, Kettering, Long Buckby, Rushden and Towcester.

“On average 100 people a week come to the groups overall.

“I think part of the benefit for everyone, both carers and those with dementia, is the social interaction.

“People can often feel very isolated when living with dementia and it is very much about the companionship and peer support.

“There is still some stigma associated with Alzheimer’s, even though it is going, and it is a good way of introducing people who are going through similar things.”

But although the group provides support for those affected by dementia, it is different from other support groups.

“A lot of the groups they go to they are talking about dementia but we give them a place where they don’t have to talk about it, they can just enjoy themselves for half-an-hour,” says Tracey Newell, the Singing for the Brain leader for Northamptonshire, who works in all the five groups.

“Sometimes they are shy to start with, but it is infectious and they just get over it.

“We have musical history forms, which they fill out when they join so we know more about them.

“We look out for songs that bring back memories.

“Sometimes a song will work, sometimes it won’t. They have all their favourites.

“The songs can mean different things to different people, and they can bring things back, I have had people in tears in some groups but it can be because it is a happy memory.

“Everyone goes away feeling uplifted.”

For information on how to join or volunteer call Northampton 741950 or visit: www.alzheimers.org.uk.

Singing ability doesn’t matter

SINGING in public is definitely not something I would choose to do.

I blame this mainly on a primary school teacher who once stopped me mid-song to point out to the class that my “enthusiastic” singing was drowning out those with more ability.

Joining in at Singing for the Brain, where enthusiastic singing is clearly not a problem, was probably one of the first times I have enjoyed singing since I was under 10.

The thought of singing initially also put off Heather and Ted Jones, aged 76 and 79 respectively, from Kingsthorpe, but they soon got over their initial qualms.

“We found about it when someone came to visit Ted and we weren’t keen at first,” says Heather.

“We weren’t singers before and we weren’t sure if we would be very comfortable with it.

“I didn’t see what singing could do to help, but it has.

“We come on a Friday feeling a bit down and they are such a good crowd, and Tracey is so good, that it sets us up for the rest of the week.

“It is nice for us both to have a break.”

Ted added: “It is stimulating. When I begin singing the songs it seems automatic and the lyrics come, when I wouldn’t have thought I would remember them.”

Barry Kirby, aged 62, who brings his mum Eunice Kirby, aged 82, who suffers from dementia, said: “I think it is amazing because as the songs start the words come back into your head.

“It is one of the things that does help, because it is socialising as well and a lot of people are looking after or are by themselves and it gives them a chance to come together in a group.

“I wish more people knew about it because I don’t think some people reach out to get help and I think carers sometimes feel like it is their problem.”

For Teresa Bird, aged 69, who just joined the group three weeks ago, and enjoys singing The Beatles’ songs, it has given her and husband Martin a new support network.

“They sing things from when I was young like Hey Jude, and it reminds me of being younger.

“It makes us (she refers to her husband Martin) feel like we are not alone when we are here because we can share experiences.”

As well as singing, the group’s members have time before the session when they can sit and talk. This social aspect helped Clive Lockwood, aged 80, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s around five years ago and who comes with his wife Brenda, aged 78. It helped them to adjust when they moved from Leeds to Duston, in Northampton, last year.

“It has been a good way to make friends,” says Brenda.

“Clive isn’t allowed to drive anymore so it is a nice time out for us because we can get the door to door service.

“We have been married for 56 years and we had a celebration here, as they have become friends.”

The group is also bolstered by several volunteers, Sandy Cleary, one of them, clearly enjoys the group as much as those she is supporting.

“I love to come here,” says the 38-year-old singer song writer from Abington, who started volunteering in February.

“You often see people’s moods completely change from when they come to when they leave.”

About dementia

TODAY is World Alzheimer’s Day, it is World Alzheimer’s Month, and Saturday was the first UK Dementia Awareness Day.

Despite those working in the field continuing to try and raise awareness about the disease, it is likely most people will know someone with dementia as it affects one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80.

The term ‘dementia’ describes a set of symptoms which can include loss of memory, mood changes, and problems with communication and reasoning.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting around 465,000 people in the UK.

Age is the greatest risk factor for dementia, as it affects one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80.

However, it is not restricted to older people: in the UK, there are over 16,000 people under the age of 65 with dementia, although this figure is likely to be an underestimation

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