Connaught Care Collection home Portsdown View has launched a monthly choir for people living with dementia.

Participants in the Portsdown Memory Choir will gather every month to sing, learn new songs, develop musical skills, and perform at events across the county. 

The group has been organised in conjunction with The Memory Choir (TMC) Hampshire, a local organisation designed to connect all people living with dementia including those experiencing the condition, families and friends, and carers and supporters.

Pippa Mafunga, general manager at Portsdown View, said: “Portsdown’s new choir group is far more than just a place for people to learn to sing. By bringing residents together with a common purpose in mind, we want to create a genuine sense of community where everyone can connect through music. This is especially important for those residents living with dementia, who may struggle to communicate and connect with others because of their condition.”

Research shows group singing can enhance emotional wellbeing, improve social connectedness, and even boost verbal flexibility for some individuals.

“Music has this amazing ability to reach parts of the brain that other kinds of activity cannot,” said Mafunga. “Time and again, we see how songs from childhood can help residents rediscover moments from the past, and hence better connect with the present. Hopefully, through the Memory Choir, we can create this feeling of connection and fulfilment on a regular basis for residents who need it most”.