description
The study summarized in this report aimed to “evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community group singing for a population of older people in England.” They state that “little rigorous research has been conducted looking at the value of community singing on the mental health-related quality of life of older people.” Using a pilot randomized control trial, they compared singing with other kinds of activities typically carried out by people aged 60+. The 258 study participants were recruited from throughout East Kent, UK. After only six months of regular singing “significant differences were observed in terms of mental health-related quality of life, including anxiety and depression. The authors state that “community singing may be a useful intervention to maintain and enhance the mental health of older people.”
contributors
Stephen Clift
Simon Coulton
John Rodriguez
Ann Skingely
related organization
University of Kent, Canterbury
resource type
Research and Studiesyear
2015keywords
community singing, mental health, older adults, quality of life