By Edward J. Thomas –
Don’t knock singing, even if it’s off-key. It might just be something of an elixir that brings health, happiness and even long life to crooners, as singing helps with healthy aging by boosting physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Just ask Britain’s Prime Timers. This 17-member choir, whose participants range in age from 87 to 99, just set a Guinness World Record for being the oldest choir on the planet.
Its members, pending pun intended, just can’t stop singing about their achievements. The group claimed its title alongside Tony Christie, an ambassador for Music for Dementia, in December during a Christmas carol concert at the Crowne Plaza Hotel’s Grand Ballroom in Stratford-upon-Avon.
“It’s been a great honor and a remarkable day. Few of us at any age get to have an attempt at a world record, let alone at 90 or more, and on the same bill as Tony Christie. It has been quite something,” Christopher Rightson proudly proclaimed.
The reputed benefits of music go well past soothing the savage beast. Singing supports both mental and physical health, according to Higher HZ, an online music magazine. Belting out songs increases self-awareness, helps express feelings, builds self-confidence and creates connections and community. It also supports physical health by reducing stress, strengthening immune systems and enhancing lung capacity and function, Higher HZ reports.
Other studies also claim singing can increase pain thresholds, help deal with grief, enhance memory for people with dementia and may even lessen snoring. Admittedly, it is difficult to find any scientific support that links singing to increased longevity. But the combined impact of singing’s various mental and physical health benefits could theoretically help people live longer and healthier lives.
The Prime Timers, which is composed of residents from seven care homes across Britain’s Warwickshire, seem willing to attest to that.
“I think it makes you happy if you can sing, and even if people don’t sing very well, it doesn’t matter. You can still sing along. Whatever you do, just sing” advised 91-year-old Sheila Barnett. A veteran singer, Barnett has been singing in choirs for almost 40 years.
“Having worked in care homes for over 10 years, I’ve seen firsthand the joy that music brings to residents. Their memory may not be what it once was, but many still remember their favorite songs and how music makes them feel. Music creates a strong sense of community, reduces loneliness, and brings so much joy to our care homes,” added Jasmine Kessey, the creator of The Prime Timers and a deputy home manager at Lower Meadow Care Home.
Age also shouldn’t be a factor when it comes to singing, whether someone is just starting or looking to maintain a lifelong passion.
“The Prime Timers are proof that you’re never too old to join a choir,” stressed Sarah Metcalfe, Managing Director at Music for Dementia. “Singing is proven to lift your mood and improve lung health. Music can help manage symptoms like anxiety and reduce feelings of isolation, especially for those living with dementia.”
Ultimately, that’s something to sing about.
