The Good Vibes Choir is preparing to help community members affected by dementia through the power of song with the introduction of a new community memory choir.
The group plans to formally launch on Sept. 18 with a preliminary information session being held on Sept. 12 for those who are interested in finding out more. The information session starts at 7 p.m. at St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
Good Vibes Memory Choir artistic director Erica Phare-Bergh said they will also rehearse on Wednesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the St. Peter’s.
Phare-Bergh explained that their group is for people with dementia and those who are impacted by it. Everyone is welcome to join, and there is no fee for the choir.
With dementia on the rise in Canada, she added that there are around 20,000 people living with dementia in the greater Calgary area.
“We’re looking to break down the stigma of dementia and help, inter-generationally, create a dementia-friendly society,” Phare-Bergh said. “My own mother has dementia, so it’s a topic near and dear to my heart.”
Phare-Bergh said the idea first started as the Voices of Motion research choir in B.C at the University of Victoria. After their success, they started to expand and create more community choirs in the Victoria area.
“The purpose is to really help people who live with dementia understand that they have purposes, that they can contribute very much to society, and that there’s meaning and joy despite an unpleasant diagnosis,” Phare-Bergh said.
Based on the research, Phare-Bergh noted that it led to a decreased stigma around dementia alongside other cognitive and emotional benefits.
“People reported having a decrease in the stigma, an increase in cognition, and that was actually shown quite objectively through their research as well,” Phare-Bergh said. “People felt better, their oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine levels went up, and so they felt increased happiness.”
Phare-Bergh added that, compared to singing by yourself, the research showed better advantages when singing in a group. This was demonstrated through non-invasive electrode sensors.
“The rest of the brain came to the rescue of the part that was damaged when they were singing, which was not when they were singing by themselves,” Phare-Bergh explained.
On a deeper level, this is because of a change of oxygenation levels in the brain. Since dementia is caused by damage to the frontal lobe, singing in a group causes other functional parts of the brain assist the frontal lobe.
In terms of the music itself, Phare-Bergh said the group sings anything from gospel tunes to oldies, and current pop music. She also rewrites the music in a way that’s easier for people with dementia to follow along with.
More information, and how to register can be found online by visiting www.goodvibesmemorychoir.com.
