Familiar Songs
In a Singing for Wellbeing session, it’s helpful to include songs that are familiar and well-known to the participants in the group. Familiar songs provide a place of safety and comfort, giving people greater confidence to join in. New and challenging songs have a place too – these will be discussed later.
The selection of familiar songs will vary depending on the characteristics of the group – for example the songs preferred by a group of younger stroke survivors will be different to those enjoyed by a group of older adults living with dementia. Some songs however do have the special quality of appealing across the generations, and I really treasure these!
Here are a few well-known songs that I find work really well in a singing session for a group of older adults living in a residential setting that provides specialist dementia care:
My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean
Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!
Que Sera, Sera
Over The Rainbow
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?
The Happy Wanderer
She’ll Be Coming ‘Round The Mountain
Can’t Help Falling In Love
Singin’ In The Rain
Edelweiss