Care Home Choir
Care Home Choir
At the heart of our choir is the belief that creativity remains while other cognitive funcations can decline.
Our care home choir is made up of 75 care staff and older people living with dementia across Gateshead and Newcastle care settings.
Together they work alongside professional musicians Liz Corney and Nicky Rushton, to rehearse and create their own songs, performing them to the public at venues across the region.
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New for 2021 - Join our Care Home Choir Voices project
We're excited to announce a new project linking residents and staff with the Royal Northern Sinfonia to boost wellbeing through singing and creating together.
Thanks to funding from the Paul & Nick Harvey and Community Foundation, we're openig the choir up to homes in Newcastle and Sunderland.
As part of the project residents and staff can access free weekly choir sessions, working with musicians and the RNS to create new composotions. Our aim is to get back to public performances in 2022.
To register your interest please fill in the form on the right.
Instead of relying on memory based activities the choir provides older people with an opportunity to explore their creativity, live in the moment and focus on what they can achieve bringing with it increased sense of wellbeing.
There is a growing understanding about the social impact and benefit of creativity on wellbeing and mental health especially in terms of helping reduce isolation and supporting communication for people living with dementia.
The Care Home Choir has been at the forefront of this movement, formed and performing before the notion was brought to people’s attention with programmes such as the BBC’s Dementia Choir.
Since its formation in 2017 the choir has entertained audiences at Newcastle’s Grainger Market, at Sage Gateshead and Newcastle City Library as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations.
It's helped launch Creative Health in the region at St Mary’s Heritage Centre and in 2019 performed at the launch of the Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance at Great North Museum.
“Being a part of the choir is inspiring. The three staff and residents that take part, we rehearse with nearby care homes and are like a team.
“For staff the choir has been a fantastic opportunity. It has brought a lot of light to us. Working in the care sector can be quite difficult at times but being a part of the care home choir has made a big difference to us.” Ann Laidler, activities coordinator
