Avery Northamptonshire Sings Out!
Four Northamptonshire Avery care homes are proud to have sponsored four sessions of a local Dementia Choir, Dementia Sings Out, that practise every Thursday morning in Wellingborough. The event is supported by Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir and is led by Gareth Fuller.
Josie Thomas, Avery’s Estates and Development Administrator, has been a member of Wellingborough Community Gospel Choir for five years. When she was told about a Dementia Choir being started in the summer of 2019, she thought it would be a great activity to invite our Northamptonshire care home’s residents to.
Simon, Well-being and Activities Co-ordinator at Dukes Court Care Home, Wellingborough, attends the sessions with his residents. Dukes Court were the first Avery home to attend the event. He said, “Since attending the first choir session back in September 2019, I have been amazed at the positive effect that the weekly Thursday morning meets have on our own residents and the local community. We are always so warmly welcomed by name and with a smile and strangers quickly become friends.”
He continued, “The choice of music uplifts the mood and often gets us up dancing together; afterwards we stay for tea, coffee, biscuits and a chat. Our residents with dementia tell us that they do remember the feeling of happiness from the sessions and look forward to the next one. The power of music and singing seems to really bring everyone together and provide enormous joy.”
Simon shared his positive feedback with staff at Cliftonville, Spencer House and Ashurst Mews care homes, all in Northampton, and Glenmoor House and Seagrave House care homes, both in Corby. Now, all six Northamptonshire homes attend the weekly sessions, providing great positivity to those residents living with dementia.
Josie also attends the rehearsals. She said, “Thursdays at the Dementia Choir are my favourite day of the week, especially seeing the choir getting bigger and better each week. It’s a joy to see the carers getting as much out of it as the residents, as well as the rest of the choir. To see the joy and fun we all have is magical and humbling. There are lots of smiles and laughs from everyone.”
Josie continued, “It’s also great to see the carers and well-being staff from Avery so enthusiastic about the choir; they regularly practise songs back at the homes, and share feedback with one another about how the practices went. The dementia choir is a fantastic and welcoming community, and it is a joy and privilege to be a part of it.”
To find out more about the Dementia Sings Out choir, click here.
