Parkinsons is a condition that is very much on the rise.
The Public Health Jersey Disease Projection Report highlights that Jersey’s population over 65 is projected to rise significantly (making up 25% of the island by 2043). Because age is the primary risk factor for Parkinson’s, local diagnoses are expected to rise concurrently. For context, other age-related neurological conditions like dementia are projected to surge by 52% on the island over the next two decades.
On Saturday 19th September, hosted by Jersey charity Aureole Music, a diverse group of practitioners involved in providing musical and speech activities in Jersey joined together for a training day with UK charity ‘Sing to Beat Parkinsons’.
Sing to Beat Parkinsons are at the forefront of the training and leading of music groups for people living with Parkinsons, and have devised a flagship evidence-based framework and training programme to help practitioners really understand how best to maximise the impact of their sessions.
Participants on the day came from a wide range of backgrounds, skills and interests, from activity coordinators in care homes, to musicians, speech and language therapists, representatives from associated charities, carers and people living with Parkinsons, and the conversation was therefore multi-faceted and incredibly useful.
Sing to Beat were able to provide the very latest research and also to share their many years of experience. They laughed, talked, sang and danced, and most importantly, considered the breadth of the value that is afforded to participants. They looked at the evidence around why singing and music activities improve wellbeing, but also how the brain works and what the specific challenges are for people with Parkinsons, and then how to mitigate some of those most difficult
consequences of living with the condition. Rhythm, song, laughter and social community combined with informed vocal expertise from the speech team and through the singing activities really do make a difference.
