Singing in a choir can be a powerful tool for improving the quality of life for individuals living with brain conditions. This is according to research from the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research, which found a strong link between choir participation and self-reported quality of life for people with brain injuries and dementia. The CeleBRation Choir, launched almost two decades ago, has helped stroke survivors and adults with other brain conditions through voice exercises and singing of familiar songs. The choir has helped people overcome difficulties with speech, language, voice, and memory, and has reduced social isolation and the sense of loss that often follows diagnosis. Singing in a neurological choir, designed for individuals living with acquired brain injuries and neurodegenerative disorders, has been shown to reduce social isolation and the sense of loss that often follows diagnosis. Singing as therapy, the body works in a similar way during speech and singing, both work the lungs, voice mechanisms, and overlapping brain pathways lost to conditions such as Parkinson's or stroke. People with Parkinson's disease can struggle to articulate their speech clearly and can have difficulty breathing adequately to project their voice. Singing helps them to speak more loudly and clearly. A stroke or brain injury can also cause aphasia, a language disorder which makes it difficult to find the right words and process other people’s speech. Singing as many words in a song as they are able to allows people to practise vocalising, without the battle to find all the right words. Stroke survivors can often sing their favourite songs more fluently than they can speak. Singing taps into a person’s emotional and autobiographical memory. Songs they recall from their youth can prompt lively conversations even if they seldom speak. Group singing can increase levels of brain chemicals that boost mood. It can raise levels of oxytocin, a hormone that fosters human connection, and endorphins, the feel-good hormones that create runner’s high – and perhaps singer’s high, too. The VOCCAL Handbook, created by the author, provides resources for anyone wanting to start their own neurological choir. No prior singing experience is required to join a neurological choir. Some participants are lifelong singers – for them, joining a choir means fun, friendship, and therapy that harnesses their musical skills. Others summon courage to quell often decades-long self-consciousness, even fear, about singing. Once in the room, the sense of camaraderie and give-it-a-go attitude is contagious. Music that is well-known and well-loved is key, making singing easier for stroke survivors with the language disorder aphasia and people with dementia. However, picking everyone’s favourite songs poses a challenge in large, multi-generational groups with diverse tastes, so a varied repertoire needs to be negotiated. Songs with complex verses and repetitive choruses offer a blend of challenge and accessibility. Vocables – short, meaningless syllables such as fa la la la la or dooby dooby doo – and humming can improve speech clarity and voice quality and help everyone join in. Internationally, therapeutic choirs typically offer a space for people with one type of brain condition – such as Parkinson’s choirs. In Aotearoa, many neurological choirs are more inclusive, open to people with a variety of brain conditions. Neurological choirs offer singers hope, fellowship, and increased confidence. They provide a place to recover lost abilities in an upbeat setting. The author emphasizes the need for more singing, more choirs, and more trained facilitators to support individuals living with brain conditions.
