While increasing evidence points toward the benefits of musical activities in promoting cognitive and emotional well-being in older adults, little is currently known about the long-term effects of singing. This new research uses a 2-year follow-up study to assess aging-related changes in cognitive functioning and emotional and social well-being with self-report questionnaires and standardized tests in 107 older adult choir singers and 62 demographically matched non-singers. Data were collected at baseline (T1), and at 1-year (T2) and 2-year (T3) follow-ups using questionnaires on subjective cognitive functioning, depression, social engagement, and quality of life (QOL) in all participants and neuropsychological tests in a subgroup of participants (45 choir singers and 41 non-singers).
The results of the study suggest that choir singing at older age is associated with a sustained enhancement of verbal flexibility (phonemic fluency), while the effects on other verbal skills and quality of life are less clear.
Publication
Longitudinal effects of choir singing on aging cognition and wellbeing: a two-year follow-up study.