Singing

[MeganCat]

Mum finds it difficult to form sentences now, and many words will be swapped for a made up word so it is really difficult to have any idea of what she is trying to say, add in that she hallucinates and will talk to other people and verbal communication during visits is much reduced.
After a long period of her being sleepy when I visited, a new phase appears to have arrived where she is wide awake and singing - not songs but words and stories, persistently, to a made up tune. You can make out more of what she's trying to say when she's singing, less made up words, which is interesting. She also seems very happy when she's singing and smiles away looking quite triumphant She used to do stage stuff, pantomimes etc when younger so can hold a tune (but is very loud! )

I wondered if anyone had come across this? I'm glad she's in a happy phase.

 

[katek]

Mum finds it difficult to form sentences now, and many words will be swapped for a made up word so it is really difficult to have any idea of what she is trying to say, add in that she hallucinates and will talk to other people and verbal communication during visits is much reduced.
After a long period of her being sleepy when I visited, a new phase appears to have arrived where she is wide awake and singing - not songs but words and stories, persistently, to a made up tune. You can make out more of what she's trying to say when she's singing, less made up words, which is interesting. She also seems very happy when she's singing and smiles away looking quite triumphant She used to do stage stuff, pantomimes etc when younger so can hold a tune (but is very loud! )


I wondered if anyone had come across this? I'm glad she's in a happy phase.

I haven't heard of anyone else who does this, but it sort of makes sense given the fact that music can more easily be recalled by the brain than other memories. It is on that principle that the excellent "Singing for the Brain" sessions organised by Alzheimer's Society are based, plus the 'feel-good' factor which singing can provide - your mum is proof of that!

 

[Winnie10]

I wonder if it is similar to Gareth Gates the singer who had a stutter. He could get all his words out when he was singing no problem. Maybe this idea could help us all. When someone has difficulty trying to tell us something we could suggest, can you sing to me what you are trying to say?

 

[canary]

Ive heard that a different part of the brain is used for singing/music than is used when talking and that the bit that is used for singing/music is usually preserved for longer. That would explain this and also things like the way mum responds to music and the success of singing for the brain. When there is someone at mum care home and they try and get people singing you can see that even the residents with advanced dementia recognise the songs and often try and join in - even when they can no longer talk.

 

[patsy56]

when I go to see mother, she lives in North Berwick which is a lovely east coast Scottish town, and I take her for a drive, and she sees the sea she always sings "I see the sea the sea sees me" and today the blue skies she started to sing "Blue skies
Smiling at me Nothing but blue skies Do I see" then she laughs and goes back to looking at her fingers, does make you wonder.......

 

[DivingDavey]

I recently visited my mother when there was a singer in the lounge of her home. The singer was really excellent with the residents, I was amazed at how when she offered them the microphone they would sing a few lines of the songs (which I think were from the 50's and 60's!).

 

[Izzy]

Singing is now an important part of my husband's life. We go to the Alzheimer Scotland choir (called Total Recall!) every Friday afternoon. He loves the warm up exercises and sings all of the songs. Unless he's in a mood of course!