Carlow Arts Service works in partnership with a number of local community organisations and services that support Arts and Older People initiatives and social inclusion across the arts to promote, support and celebrate Arts and Older People in all its forms and to create access to the arts for all.
An example of one of these projects, funded and supported by Carlow County Council Arts Service, is Sing for Memory. Sing for Memory is a singing and music group for people living with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, along with their families, loved ones, and carers. The group meets on a weekly basis and provides a creative and relaxed social space that supports artistic expression, inclusion, and a sense of connection and wellbeing.
Originally developed through Living Artfully, a Creative Ireland project in Carlow–Kilkenny, the group promotes health and wellbeing through creativity.
Because musical memory often remains intact even in later stages of dementia, singing can lift mood, stimulate cognition, and encourage social interaction. Sing for Memory offers participants and their loved ones a creative, meaningful and shared activity. For information on the Sing for Memory Singing Group, contact artsservice@carlowcoco.ie