Ageing Voices

Sing Ireland and Creative Aging International, supported by Creative Ireland, were delighted to collaborate on Ageing Voices resources including guidebooks and video resources which share expertise made from practical experience, showcasing great examples of singing groups for ageing voices, care, and well-being, to encourage singing for health and well-being amongst adults, whether they live in the community or in care. Alongside these resources, a series of Online Workshops took place in January and February 2021.

Videos of the seminars are available here

Singing is an invaluable, life-enhancing activity that can positively impact on the health and wellbeing of older people in our communities. Working with Sing Ireland, we have created four resources to help people create, run, and nurture community-based singing groups for older people.

1: The Ageing Voice

Singing is important in older age for all the reasons it is at any other age. It’s about connection and belonging, it’s about finding a place for your voice amongst others, it’s about listening and being heard, facing challenges, and building confidence. Singing into older age can help to keep the body fit and healthy, to keep the mind sharp and the voice strong. The Ageing Voice resource focuses on the voice as an instrument. Click here to access the video and guide which provide practical advice and tailored information.

2: Special Interest Choirs

In recent years we’ve seen the creation of choirs supporting people living with brain health conditions that are more prevalent in older age, like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. We’ve also seen community choirs evolving into these types of choirs as their members age and they wished to keep singing. These choirs support people, their families, and carers. The Special Interest Choirs resource focuses on choirs in the community that are friendly to, and made with, people living with conditions like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.Click here to access the video and guide which provide practical advice and tailored information.

3: Community Connections

Ideas about collaborative creation have deep roots in the soil of Irish life: Meitheals, drama group’s annual pantos, and rambling house trad sessions where great times are made by all players and virtuosi, these all weave together culture and creativity with community and health. The Community Connections resource shares learnings from projects where cultural leadership has been connecting organisations through song in pursuit of care. Click here to access the video and guide which provide practical advice and tailored information.

4: Singing For Care

Caring for others lies at the heart of our Republic. Likewise in nearly every village and town, there are choirs. Singing For Care grows from exploring the connections between the two and explores singing in healthcare settings. The Singing for Care resource particularly focused on sharing the experiences of groups led by nursing staff and care staff who sing and share their singing with those in their care.Click here to access the video and guide which provide practical advice and tailored information.

Our collaborative approach

Tania Banotti, Director of the Creative Ireland Programme
“The Creative Ireland Programme is delighted to support the Ageing Voices Programme of resources and workshops. We congratulate Sing Ireland and Creative Ageing International for their imaginative response to overcome the challenges of group singing during a pandemic. We hope that this material will be of value to our many older singers and will sustain them until it is safe for them to sing together again.”

Dominic Campbell, Founder Creative Aging International
“In Ireland, huge numbers of people are lucky to live longer than their parents and grandparents. They are very different generations. It’s timely for cultural organisations to ask older adults what they need and provide this support, while nurturing innovation by mature artists of all kinds be they are healthy or challenged by illness, so the arts might truly reflect everyone in all their glory. Sing Ireland’s leadership is fabulous. We’re delighted to bring our expertise in support of adventurous development.”

Dermot O’Callaghan, CEO of Sing Ireland
“Singing is fun, therapeutic, social, and stimulating. What has become very clear during this pandemic is that singing is more important than ever to help keep spirits raised during this difficult time. So, while singing in groups is not allowed, there is no reason why people can’t access on-line facilities and continue singing at home – or with others via virtual means and plan for the future when we can return in person.

“At Sing Ireland, we’re committed to working to find as many ways as possible to encourage more people to get involved and experience the positive impact singing can have on their health, wellbeing and overall creativity. We are grateful to Creative Aging International for their input and work in this project and to Creative Ireland for the funding to allow it to happen.”

For more information on the Creative Ireland Creativity in Older Age programme,
visit www.creativeireland.gov.ie