SingFit Combines Personalized Music with Movement and Social Engagement
Charlottesville, VA – May 13, 2024 – Commonwealth Senior Living announces that it has introduced SingFit into all its senior living communities in Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. SingFit is an application that uses a robust combination of singing, curated music, and dialogue prompts to improve cognitive and emotional health. SingFit and its accompanying materials facilitate an interactive, social music group that includes singing, movement, trivia, and reminiscence to stimulate and activate the whole brain and body.
“For the past decade, Commonwealth Senior Living has used the engaging and healing nature of music to elevate the resident experience through programs such as the Fine Arts Program for assisted and independent living and Sweet Melodies for our Sweet Memories residents,” said Paula Harder, Vice President of Resident Programs & Memory Care. “SingFit enables our residents and associates of all ages and singing abilities to participate in familiar songs through voice guided direction. Whether participants are familiar with the lyrics or not, everyone can participate or lead a singing group which enhances the musical experience for everyone. And it’s just plain fun.”
Neurologists and psychologists have studied the effects of music on the human brain since the 1990s. However, it was not until 2009 when Dr. Petr Janata, PhD, then an associate professor of psychology at the University of California–Davis’ Center for Mind and Brain, published a study entitled “The Neural Architecture of Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories,” that researchers began connecting the importance of music with Alzheimer’s and dementia treatment.
What sets SingFit apart is its dynamic and engaging format. The application is about more than listening to music; it’s about participating, moving, and feeling the music on both a personal and social level. Among the activities offered at Commonwealth Senior Living include:
- Chair Dancing Workouts: Seniors can join in uplifting, gentle chair-based exercises that are fun and accessible.
- Mindful Journeys: Sessions combine music, imagery, and breathwork to provide a calming and stress-relieving experience.
- Trivia and Games: Interactive sessions stimulate the mind and memory through the enjoyment of music.
Robert Fraizer, Resident Program Director at Commonwealth Senior Living at Cedar Manor, says, “We love SingFit here! We usually have a packed house when we do this program. When we come to the end of our sessions, residents always ask, ‘Do we have to end now?’ and ‘Why do we have to stop?’.”
About Commonwealth Senior Living
Commonwealth Senior Living provides independent living, assisted living, personal care, and memory care to seniors across Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. Commonwealth Senior Living has become a leader in the senior living industry through our innovative signature programs, such as our award-winning Sweet Memories Alzheimer’s and dementia program, our Farm to Table dining, and our interactive communication tool, TSO Life, among others. As a Certified Great Place to Work® company for six years in a row, Commonwealth Senior Living continues to pioneer new services to meet our goal of improving the lives of seniors, their families, and each other. The company is an active member of the Virginia Assisted Living Association (VALA), Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association (PALA), Lifespan, Argentum, American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing (NIC). For more information on Commonwealth Senior Living, visit www.CommonwealthSL.com.
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