The Cameron - Court Glee Club is thriving!
“Dr Julie said anyone could run a singing therapy programme, and she was right.” says Bronie McMurtie, from Cameron Courts Lifestyle Care & Village. “Due to our location in the lower South Island we were finding it hard to find good resources. Though we had some skeptics initially, we have 12 members regularly participating in our Glee Club, that’s a quarter of our residents. And you know what, after six months we actually sound really good! Singing for Seniors has made it really easy to implement a singing therapy programme for our rest home residents"
Bronie first heard Dr Julie Jackson-Gough, a world reknown expert in aged care singing therapy, speak at a workshop held at the New Zealand Diversional Therapy Conference in 2013. “I went in thinking I can’t do this, I don’t know how to sing. But that didn’t matter. Dr Julie’s product meant we didn’t have to.”
Singing for Seniors provides a professionally recorded disc set, one with singing, the other music only. Residents sing along with Dr Julie until they can sing unaccompanied. “I love that the product suits my residents. It’s the song’s they love and it’s easy for them to sing along to.” That’s because Singing for Seniors is designed for seniors voices - which as they’ve aged are lower and slower.
The programme contributes to the ongoing physical, mental & emotional health of residents of retirement facilities, in rest home and hospital settings.
“Family’s ask me when they call up if it’s me singing, I laugh and tell them no, it’s Dr Julie. Resident’s love when new disc sets arrive and families love the programme we’ve implemented and will even join in during visits.” Residents love that they get to choose the songs they like for future discs sets.
To view a copy of the Cameron Court Case Study click here!