Down the hallway of the “Morningside” memory care center at The Palms assisted living facility, voices could be heard singing, “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, My, oh, my, what a wonderful day.”
Outside, residents attracted by the music came over to either join the singing or enjoy the music. The adjacent hallway became packed with walkers and orthopedic shoes held tapping feet around the circle of singers. For many of the participants of Jan Saltmarsh’s choir hour, this was one of the few times a day they would come out of their shells, their eyes lighting up remembering the music they loved in their youth.
Saltmarsh has been a singing teacher for the past 25 years but only recently taken time to teach those with memory decline at the facility. She said she became inspired to lead the singers After seeing her mother respond to a class while visiting her mom’s memory care facility, Saltmarsh was inspired to lead the group at Morningside.
“There was a music teacher that came for an hour music program of their music from their era and had them sing along with it. I went with my mother to that. (Afterward), it was the last coherent conversation I had with my mother. She was present. …I personally saw the difference with what the music can (do) with reviving the mind and getting them to be in the present. …After seeing that, I thought, ‘I can do this.’ ”
Saltmarsh said that in addition to reviving memories, the singing activates a whole-body response, from breathing to brain power, that engages participants.
“There are some who are completely nonverbal, and I'll look over when we are doing a particularly peppy song and I'll see their foot tapping. I'll know, okay, it's getting through. On some level it's reaching to them.”
At 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Saltmarsh sits behind the piano in the music room and takes requests. It’s these mornings that the seniors start the day off singing with Saltmarsh that really brighten the rest of their day.
“They need every moment of happiness that they can get,” said Saltmarsh.
It’s no wonder that waking up singing “Oh, What A Beautiful Morning,” can actually make for a nice morning — for anyone, really.
