Sing Out Choir, Dubbo's dementia choir, secures $45,000 grant

"We've only been running the choir for four months and we're already noticing significant positive changes in those living with dementia," said Western NSW Local Health District dementia counsellor, Anne Gemmell, who started the initiative.

"We've seen clients with significantly reduced anxiety and depression and some with improved speech and language skills."

"It gives everyone a sense of community, it's pretty amazing. But without grant funding I couldn't do any of this."

The Dubbo dementia choir - a first of its kind program for regional NSW run out of the Lourdes Hospital and Community Nursing - launched in July this year and already attracts 65 to 70 people each week.

As well as the recorded therapeutic benefits of singing for dementia patients, the choir is an opportunity for people to come together and create new connections in the community.

"Those that are socially isolated have told me how much they love attending choir. You witness these people engaging with new friends, it's pretty amazing. So many of them say they can't wait for next Tuesday," said Ms Gemmell.

Ms Gemmell said it's not just the people living with dementia who benefit from the program.

"Even though the choir embraces people with dementia I've been able to make it an all-inclusive choir. It includes the carers, families, friends, volunteer singers and musicians, it's all-inclusive," she said.

"A lot of carers coming along and it's a bit of respite for them. And they get to witness their person - and for a little bit of time it's like their old self came back because they sing, they know all the songs and there's just so much happiness there."

"It's very uplifting. It's a very happy and relaxed environment."

The $45,000 grant was awarded as part of the NSW Government's COVID-19 Community Connection and Wellbeing Program which funds locally led initiatives and events that promote social resilience, improve community connectedness.

Ms Gemmell expects attendance will only increase with the additional funding secured.

"I have a pianist and a conductor on board and I've only been able to do that through the grant funding. Without that there's no way this would go ahead and no way it would have got off the ground at all," she said.

"I envisage that with that funding we'll be able to go on to take larger numbers. I hope that we can continue to get funding because I don't want it to end after 12 months, I'll keep applying for whatever grants I can."

Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders said the new funding - announced on Friday, November 25 - is in addition to the funds secured earlier in the year to establish the choir.

"I'm incredibly proud we're able to support this initiative, which is all about bringing people together again,"

"Music therapy is like medicine for the dementia-affected brain, and I've witnessed first-hand the joy it brings, and I've heard from countless carers and family members who say that, for those couple of hours, they get their loved ones back."

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