More than 400,000 Australians currently live with dementia. It's a devastating disease that can severely affect someone's autonomy and daily life - not to mention the lives of those around them. Now a team in Newcastle is using the power of music to uplift spirits and offer support with a dementia choir group, known as 'The Unforgettables', meeting every week for those with the disease and their carers.
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00:00A love of music runs deep in this Newcastle-based choir.
00:10But participants aren't just here for the opportunity to sing.
00:14They're also here for support and social connection.
00:17I think when you get a diagnosis of dementia it shatters you.
00:21We certainly found ourselves in a state of shock.
00:27Sally's husband, Brian, was diagnosed with dementia about 18 months ago.
00:32It's a fairly generic one which is showed up by a bit of a lack of, a loss of memory.
00:39Names and things, I find sometimes hard to remember people's names and things like that.
00:48They reached out to Dementia Australia, who recommended this group.
00:52For us watching that and watching their carers has been a very real eye-opener and privilege.
01:02And it's the company, it's the songs, it's wonderful for us, isn't it?
01:07Yeah, we look forward to it.
01:10The choir was started in August last year by Helen English and Michelle Kelly from the
01:15University of Newcastle.
01:17This was an opportunity to provide an outlet for them, both for the person living with
01:25dementia and their family carer, where they could come along and be part of something
01:31that was beyond dementia.
01:34The choir has grown to about 40 participants and meets every Saturday afternoon for two hours.
01:40Some members, like Gwyn Travis Varnes and George Varnes, have been coming since it first began.
01:47When we initially came along, George wasn't singing, he was listening mostly.
01:52The songs were really different for him, but as we've just stayed with it and stayed with
01:56it, he's singing, so he's getting used to the songs.
02:01And I think it's for both of us, it's really been helpful.
02:06There's a big demand in other areas of the Hunter for a similar service, and Helen says
02:11they are looking to expand in the future.
02:14It's an easy place to be, to come along here on Saturday.
02:17Using the power of music to support and uplift those impacted by dementia.