{"id":663808,"date":"2026-05-11T12:14:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T12:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/663808\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T12:14:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T12:14:13","slug":"singing-has-given-my-husband-his-life-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/663808\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Singing has given my husband his life back’"},"content":{"rendered":"

For people who have suffered a stroke, or who are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s disease, singing can be an invaluable lifeline.<\/p>\n

That was evident when Stroke Notes, a choir run by the Cork Stroke Support Centre, performed at the Cork International Choral Festival recently.<\/p>\n

Feena McGrath, manager of the centre in Blackrock, said the weekly choir sessions are a vital support.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany stroke survivors would struggle with speech difficulties (aphasia) but can sing, because music and singing use different pathways in the brain,\u201d says Feena. \u201cMusic is hugely important to stroke rehabilitation, igniting memories, improving and reducing depression and anxiety. We have about 20 people each week coming to our choir and music sessions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MembersMembers of the Stroke Notes choir perform during the Cork International Choral Festival at the Clayton Hotel Cork City. Picture Chani Anderson<\/p>\n

The transformative power of music is truly remarkable.<\/p>\n

\u201cSinging has given my husband his life back!\u201d says Eileen, who attends the choir alongside her husband, Pat, who has aphasia after a stroke he suffered on holiday almost two decades ago. While his speech remains very restricted, his rich singing voice fills the room as he rehearses with the Strokes Notes choir.<\/p>\n

Jim, too, developed aphasia after a stroke at the age of 66, and attends with his daughter, Geraldine. For him, the weekly choir sessions offer more than music – they provide connection, identity, and belonging.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the social things that keep him going\u201d, says Geraldine. \u201cWhile my dad sometimes can\u2019t talk at the speed we talk at, he is able to remember singing and whatever he has learned off by heart. It is fascinating as it is obviously stored in another part of the brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Post-rehearsal, over a cuppa and birthday cake, the room hums with laughter, conversation, and a palpable sense of shared purpose and joy. Clearly, the social dimension of this collective singing experience is not simply an added benefit, it is central to its success.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Stroke Notes choir, made up of stroke survivors and their families from Cork Stroke Support, perform to a large audience in the atrium of the Clayton Hotel Cork City as part of the Cork International Choral Festival. Picture Chani Anderson<\/p>\n

Their conductor, Bernadette Kiely, has been guiding the choir for almost five years. Both inspiring and exacting, she encourages the group to stretch their abilities, tackling harmonies, three-part rounds, and complex rhythms with determination and pride.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commitment is huge!\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019ll send them the soundtrack of the songs we are doing and print out the words (blue for the men, red for the ladies). It\u2019s lovely to have something to work towards.\u201d<\/p>\n

With two SMA priests in the choir, they sang at three masses in the first term alone, and stage annual Christmas and summer concerts.<\/p>\n

For the Cork International Choral Festival, the Strokes Notes choir sang alongside long-term collaborators the Finphonics – the staff choir from St Finbarr\u2019s – in a rousing performance in the Atrium of the Clayton Hotel.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter one such concert,\u201d Bernadette adds, \u201csomeone came up to me with tears in her eyes and said \u2018he doesn\u2019t even talk to us at home and I\u2019m watching him today sing song after song!\u2019 Music gives the family something too.\u201d<\/p>\n

There can be similar positive effects for patients with dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

What is it about music that allows people with life-altering neurological conditions to reconnect so vividly?<\/p>\n

Science suggests that, unlike facts or names, often stored in areas of the brain vulnerable to damage, music is embedded in motor, sensory, and emotional centres, which are more resilient to cognitive decline.<\/p>\n

Vanessa Bradbury, dementia advisor with the Cork branch of the Alzheimer\u2019s Society of Ireland, highlights the importance of maintaining brain health through a holistic approach.<\/p>\n

She explains that mentally challenging the brain, pushing boundaries through physical exercise, maintaining a well-balanced diet, and fostering social interaction, are all vital. Even after a dementia diagnosis, these can help support the brain and, in some cases, may even encourage the formation of new neural pathways.<\/p>\n

She points to initiatives such as Singing for the Brain groups and Memory Caf\u00e9s as playing an important role in this supportive ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Betty Coogan knows this first-hand. She has been attending the Le Ch\u00e9ile Memory Caf\u00e9 at St Finbarr\u2019s Hospital since her late husband Jim was diagnosed with dementia. \u201cJim loved the sing-songs at the caf\u00e9 and looked forward to them,\u201d she says. \u201cPre-diagnosis, he could remember about five lines of a song.\u201d<\/p>\n

As his condition progressed, he could remember every lyric of every song. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t shut him up,\u201d Betty adds with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe social dimension of the memory caf\u00e9 is very important for the people and their carers. From the first day, I felt supported and welcomed, and met people who were walking the same journey as me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BernadetteBernadette Kiely leads the Stroke Notes choir performing at the Clayton Hotel, Cork city, as part of the Cork International Choral Festival. Picture: Chani Anderson<\/p>\n

Even after Jim\u2019s passing, Betty continues to volunteer at the caf\u00e9, which takes place on the last Friday of every month. \u201cIt\u2019s very uplifting. I\u2019d never miss it!\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Music\u2019s ability to unlock memory and emotion is also at the heart of the \u2018Alive Inside\u2019 programme, which was introduced by Lisa Howard during her time as Activities Manager at St Luke\u2019s residential care home in Cork, working in a dementia unit.<\/p>\n

Inspired by an award-winning 2014 documentary, Alive Inside, the programme uses personalised play-lists to reconnect individuals with their past.<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic is specific to each person,\u201d Lisa said, \u201cso when creating the play-lists, it was so important to get the families involved, to learn about their loved ones, their back-story, to determine the songs they would enjoy, and to anticipate exactly what the emotions would be.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn someone with dementia, while understanding and capacity will fluctuate, the emotions remain. They might forget the associated memory but will still have the feelings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can feel over-stimulated by noise and there is so much uncertainty for them, that creating a familiar play-list, with songs that trigger familiar emotions, of the person within, can make such a difference.<\/p>\n

\n \u201cYou can see that recognition in their eyes, see their faces light up. Just seeing the person come alive brings tears to our eyes too.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have had brilliant results, particularly for residents who initially didn\u2019t seem to chat or engage at all. With their headphones on, they would be singing on the top of their voices!\u201d<\/p>\n

While outcomes vary with the individual, Lisa stresses that music can improve focus and engagement, supporting everyday activities such as self-care and medication routines.<\/p>\n

It may not restore a person entirely, but it reconnects them with who they are.<\/p>\n

Jackie O\u2019Donovan, a former activities co-ordinator, witnessed the impact of the Alive Inside programme on a deeply personal level while caring for her late mother.<\/p>\n

\u201cThroughout her life, my mam always loved music. So, as her disease progressed, I bought her an iPad and a headset, and created a song play-list for her drawn from the all the different stages of her life. If she was agitated or wandering off, the music calmed her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer play-list became part of her care plan. Staff regularly used her music for interaction and stimulation during the end stages of her journey. One of the pastoral care team told me recently that when she sang to mam, she felt she was having a conversation with her, even though she was non-verbal. I thought that was very special.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe couldn\u2019t string a sentence together, but she could sing all the words of a song.<\/p>\n

\u201cMum had the same play-list for two or three years. But there was so much comfort for her in this familiarity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Stroke Notes choir, made up of stroke survivors and their families from Cork Stroke Support, perform in the atrium of the Clayton Hotel as part of Cork International Choral Festival.\t Picture: Chani Anderson<\/p>\n

Since 2023, the Down Memory Lane Music programme I help to run has been touring residential care homes across the city and county – as part of the Healthcare Hoolies, an initiative run by Cork County Council and Healthcare Ireland. One particularly striking memory for me involved a woman who was unable to speak at the beginning of a performance. Gradually, she began to mouth the words silently. As the programme progressed, she found her voice and sang into the microphone. Afterwards, she and I engaged in a lively conversation about her former career as a social worker.<\/p>\n

It was both inspiring and revelatory.<\/p>\n

These moments underscore the importance of human connection. The chats before and after performances, learning someone\u2019s name, linking it to a familiar song, listening to personal stories – all these elements help break down emotional barriers and encourage participation. Yet, undeniably, at the centre of it all, is the music itself – unlocking memories, triggering emotions, and stimulating interaction.<\/p>\n

After one Down Memory Lane event in Schull Community Hospital, Director of Nursing, Roisin Walsh, remarked: \u201cWe saw people smiling, singing, speaking Irish, and enjoying the morning, some with family members who were blown away to see their father and grandad, smiling and laughing at the stories and songs. It was fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jacinta McCormack, a HSE employee who runs the Fermoy Singing for the Brain (SFTB) group, echoes this sentiment. \u201cOne of the most meaningful parts is the human connection: the conversations before and after the sessions, the friendships that form and the sense of belonging that grows over time. At its heart, SFTB is about helping people feel included, valued and connected through singing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n She recalls one woman in her 90s who, as she left each session, would say \u2018It\u2019s the best day of the week\u2019. Comments like that stay with you.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

The roots of the SFTB Ireland initiative stretch back over a decade. In 2015, the North Cork Dementia Alliance, based in Mallow, piloted a programme designed to create a warm, fun, and welcoming space where people could come together to sing, socialise, enjoy gentle movement, and share experiences.<\/p>\n

Today, with the support of the HSE South West Community Work Department, that vision has grown into a network of groups across the city and county, co-ordinated by a part-time SFTB coordinator and administrator. SFTB is currently unique to Cork, with several groups running and new ones developing. \u201cMusic is special,\u201d insists Jacinta, \u201cbecause even when other memories are hard to access, songs are often still remembered and easily recalled.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of their Bealtaine tour of all city libraries from May 16\u201329, the hugely successful Down Memory Lane Music Programme – featuring Linda Kenny, Conor \u2018The Loungeman\u2019 O\u2019Shea, Maurice Healy, and raconteur Pakie O\u2019Callaghan – will perform at the launch of the Bright Minds Community Series at the City Library on May 23 at 12pm.
\n Open to those living with Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia, as well as their families, the series is a collaboration between Cork City Libraries, Healthy Ireland, and the Cork branch of the Alzheimer\u2019s Society of Ireland. It is a free event open to the public. The series includes a variety of talks and events, such as an art exhibition, hosted in libraries across the city throughout the summer. It concludes in September to coincide with World Alzheimer\u2019s Month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For people who have suffered a stroke, or who are suffering from dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s disease, singing can…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":663809,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[64,63,134,137,136],"class_list":["post-663808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-entertainment","tag-health","tag-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=663808"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/663808\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/663809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=663808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=663808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=663808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}