It was a knee-slapping and toe-tapping kind of morning. With song books in hand, a group of seniors gathered in a circle, belting out familiar tunes from Elvis and Stan Rogers. Brandon Mooney, a certified music therapist, strummed along on his guitar. This is the scene every Wednesday at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, where the Seniors in Song music group takes place.
Over an hour and a half, Mooney guides the group through singing, breathwork, stretching, gentle movement, and discussion. Participants choose what they want to sing and improvise as they go. The sessions are filled with laughter, questions, and stories.
Patricia Nielsen has been attending Seniors in Song since it began in 2022 and she looks forward to it every week.
“You can go there feeling down, and when you leave—because you’ve been laughing and carrying on— you feel so much better.”
According to the World Health Organization, social isolation and loneliness affect a quarter of older people, increasing their risk of experiencing depression and anxiety. That’s why music therapy can be such a valuable tool in geriatric care. Along with its mood-boosting benefits, music therapy can create an opportunity for meaningful social interaction.
“People kind of come out of their shell,” said Mooney, who also works with long-term care residents. “It’s a great way to get people interacting in a positive environment.”
Brandon Mooney
Photo courtesy of the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts
Because of music’s unique ability to unlock memories, music therapy for people with Alzheimer’s and dementia can be especially helpful. Mooney explained that most people tend to have the strongest connection with music they listened to between the ages of 12-18, and with that in mind music therapists can select songs with intention.
“I’ve done sessions with people who are mostly non-verbal due to dementia or Alzheimer’s, and they start singing,” he said. “People really light up.”
It’s projected that in six years’ time, more than a quarter of Nova Scotia’s population will be aged 65 and over. Starr Cunningham, President and CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, says community mental health programming that targets seniors is a priority for the organization.
“It’s important that our funding programs address the greatest needs in our province, and caring for the mental health of older adults is critical to healthy aging overall,” said Cunningham.
Seniors in Song is just one of the music-oriented initiatives funded by the Foundation with support from The Windsor Foundation. The project also allows music therapy programs to run in several long-term care facilities and within the geriatric psychiatry inpatient unit at the Nova Scotia Hospital.
The Foundation’s Community Grant program also provides funding to the Shoreham Village Senior Citizens Association, which organizes Between the Mountains Music Therapy in Chester, and to the Dance for Dementia program offered in Lunenburg through the Kinship Performing Arts Centre Association.
This article first appeared as a Senior Living column in Saltwire.