Case Study: ParkinSings

Introduction

ParkinSings is a Wales-wide collaborative project by Choirs For Good and Parkinson's UK Cymru exploring the impact of community singing on vocal strength & overall mental and emotional well-being for people with Parkinson's and their carers. Participants across 3 locations (Bodelwyddan, Aberaeron and Newport) met fortnightly across 3 months, culminating in a joint performance at the Senedd Cymru. Clear improvements were seen in patients’ self-rated physical health and voice control/strength, and 97% overwhelmingly agreed that their wellbeing, anxiety & depression had improved after 3 months. This project indicates that the ParkinSings choir shows much promise as an acceptable, enjoyable and effective way of supporting people living with Parkinson's and their carers.

The Challenge

Around 8,300 people live with Parkinson’s in Wales and it is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world, of which there is currently no cure. There are 40+ symptoms, including weakening of vocal strength and the effects on ones physical, mental and emotional wellbeing if living with a diagnosis (or supporting someone who is) can be challenging. Existing studies looking at the effectiveness of singing for Parkinson's have generally been more preliminary and small-scale, though several have positively indicated that singing may help improve people’s quality of life, their voice, and respiratory strength. After consultation with the Parkinson's Community, the "ParkinSings" concept was conceived which sought to explore this challenge further.

The Approach

The partners collaborated closely together to develop a tailored approach and methodology, with CFG providing musical leadership/expertise and project management, and PUKC leading on community consultation, recruitment, and milestone event. An external evaluation was carried out by Arts in Health consultant Rosie Dow. A mixed methodology of data capture was agreed to achieve the 3 main outcomes: 1. to benefit the Parkinson's Community 2. raising awareness of condition and 3. create a blueprint for sustainability moving forward. Participants were surveyed twice during the period and asked to self report on mental health & wellbeing, physical health, and vocal strength/control (via Likert scale). Over the course of 3 months, 7 x fortnightly 2-hour group singing sessions were held in Bodelwyddan, Newport, and Aberaeron between 1 Jan - 31 March 2025. Each group was led by an experienced professional community Choir Leader and the average number of participants per group was 16. These culminated in an event at the Senedd Cymru in Cardiff Bay bringing all groups together on 1 April 2025 where 40 members of the choir performed 3 songs, in three-part harmony to an audience of Senedd members, staff and visitors. Total budget £17,286.

The Impact

Key findings (40 responses): - Clear improvements in patients’ self-rated physical health (20% mean improvement) and voice control/vocal strength (24% mean improvement). - Overwhelming agreement that vocal strength & voice control had improved since joining the choir (95% strongly agreed or somewhat agreed). - 17% mean improvement in self-rated mental health & wellbeing for patients and carers across the 3 months, and overwhelming agreement that their wellbeing, anxiety and depression had improved since joining the choir (97% strongly agreed or somewhat agreed). - In open text people remarked that they had made new friends in the choir, gained confidence and skills, and that it had lifted their mood. - 95% of choristers also expressed a wish to continue singing in this choir, and 100% said they would be willing to make a financial contribution of between £2.50-£10.00 per rehearsal session, though additional funding from external sources would also be needed to sustain the choir. - Although these early results are from a small group with no comparators and therefore are not statistically robust at this stage, it indicates that the choir is a valued, effective way of supporting people affected by Parkinson’s and, crucially, that they themselves believe it to be so.

Lessons Learned

- The many symptoms of the condition requires Choir Leaders to have an acute understanding of the possible access requirements of participants, which can inform the musical approach to leading sessions and performing. - Clear & transparent partnership working is of utmost importance: ParkinSings benefitted from a truly remarkable collaboration and unified approach. - Collecting more qualitative data from choristers would be beneficial moving forward. - Possibly using validated well-being scales for future robust evaluation.

The Legacy

ParkinSings is a promising, impactful & potentially sustainable arts intervention for people living with Parkinson's and their carers, that is scalable/replicable. Further work and investment needs to be secured to scale up the intervention for the longer term, but both partners are committed to the quality and sustainability of ParkinSings. Modelling for the continuation of the existing groups is underway. "I'm part of a community of people who understand, realising that we can still participate rather than spectate.” - Participant

Website and Social Media Links

www.choirsforgood.com/parkinsings www.parkinsons.org.uk/cymru Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/choirsforgood https://www.facebook.com/parkinsonsukcymru Press: https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/24858486.parkinsons-singing-sessions-take-place-denbighshire/ https://www.deeside.com/flintshire-man-finds-his-voice-after-parkinsons-diagnosis/ https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/25078004.newport-woman-helps-others-living-parkinsons-disease/

Contact Details

Choirs For Good Ruth Haugen (Impact Manager) hello@choirsforgood.com Parkinson's UK Cymru Wendy Allison (Community Development Coordinator Mid & North Wales) wallison@parkinsons.org.uk Parkinson's UK Cymru Rebecca Lydon (Community Development Coordinator South Wales) rlydon@parkinsons.org.uk

Tags: Music, Choir, Parkinsons, Carer, Mental Health, Wellbeing, Vocal Strength, Vocal Control, Sustainability, Denbighshire, Bodelwyddan, Ceredigion, Aberaeron, Gwent, Newport

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