Leicestershire Woman with Dementia Finds Therapy in Singing

A Leicestershire resident living with dementia has stated that singing serves as a form of therapy for her. Evelyn Cudworth received a recent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s after her family observed a decline in her memory. Age Concern UK suggested the Leicester Musical Memory Box to assist the 85-year-old in managing her diagnosis. Ms. Cudworth participated in a special dementia-friendly carol service at Leicester Cathedral on Tuesday, where she reported that the music helped unlock memories and provided her with “a buzz.” “I was always in choirs and things like that when I was young. I particularly like the songs from the shows, my favourite is Fiddler on the Roof,” she said. “I like all sorts of musicals, we used to go to London to see them.” “Singing is so therapeutic. It makes you feel good. It’s very comforting when they play music from the past.” She continued, “It is a good thing for bringing back memories. At my age, 85, it’s nice to recollect things and they certainly do that with the music.” Ms. Cudworth concluded, “You feel a buzz with it.” Jane Flavell, Ms. Cudworth’s 63-year-old daughter, described it as “amazing” to witness how much her mother recalls through singing. “Mum was finding it difficult remembering things like what she had done yesterday and events that were happening, we got the diagnosis that way,” she explained. “It’s amazing how much she remembers when she sings.” “She’s always loved singing. It makes her bright, it gives her a real lift. She loves singing the oldies,” her daughter further stated. The mother and daughter were among a group of individuals who attended the dementia-friendly carol service at Leicester Cathedral. A similar service was conducted in Loughborough on Monday, and a third event is scheduled to occur in Market Harborough on Thursday. Kyle Newman, the organizer of the service and leader at Leicester Musical Memory Box, commented: “We’re not quite a choir but we do make quite a nice noise.” “The power of music, it really is magic. It really affects everyone’s mental health in a positive way that attends – not just people that are living with a diagnosis of anything, that means carers, volunteers, leaders, we all benefit positively.” He further elaborated, “You can feel down and stressed, but when you work with music the feelgood hormones are released. You can’t help it.” For updates, follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.