Monthly music event puts a spring in the step of East Cheshire Hospice dementia patients
Singing Together members meet on the first Friday of each month
SINGING TOGETHER: From left, singer Tony Boyle with volunteers Ann Marriott, Tessa Hughes and Tracey O'Keefe and Hospice staff Debbie Callow and Paul Dale
By East Cheshire Hospice
Singing and dancing is putting a spring in the step of dementia patients at East Cheshire Hospice.
Live monthly musical entertainment at Broken Cross Club is the perfect remedy for them. Classes had to move from the Hospice's Sunflower Wellbeing Centre due to their popularity.
Around 50 Singing Together members meet between 10.30am and noon on the first Friday of each month. They enjoy a musical trip down memory lane, while entertained by singer and guitarist Tony Boyle.
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The sessions are run by Admiral Nurse Debbie Callow and dementia nurse Paul Dale, a committee member at Broken Cross. Debbie said: "We'd outgrown the Hospice premises and had reached the point where we were going to have to start turning people away.
"We didn't want to do that so looked for an alternative venue. The club have been brilliant and we can't thank the manager Linda Longden enough.
"We have a proper dance floor. One wheelchair user couldn't really join in before on the carpet at the Hospice and had difficulty moving around easily.
"Now her carer spins her round the dance floor and she's joining in which is lovely to see. Patients don't necessarily have to dance and the sessions definitely have a positive impact on people.
"Some might not communicate as much, but if the right song comes on it just triggers something and suddenly they're up dancing.
"A lady came last month for the first time and her daughter had to plead with her to get out of the car to come in. She didn't want to do it, but by the end had made lots of friends and told us how much she loved it and asked if she could return.
"Someone may be losing their ability to have a conversation and forget certain words, yet put a song on and they can remember all the words.
"The brain remembers anything with rhythm differently to everyday language. Singing helps trigger memories."
Patients need a dementia diagnoses to attend. Contact 01625 666990 for more details from the Hospice.
Linda has worked at Broken Cross for more than 20 years, the last 14 as manager.
She said: "We're delighted to hire out the room free of charge to the Hospice, as we do for all fundraising events held in aid of the charity. Our members are always keen to help such a wonderful local cause."
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