Alzheimer’s disease | They sing, as before

When André Gadbois realizes that his memory fades, he plunges into infinite sadness. Meanwhile, In these moments, he locks himself in his small office, at home, to have Françoise Hardy records play. Consequently, And he sings.

Diane Latour tells André’s story. Furthermore, Because it is also his: they have been married for 50 years. Meanwhile, “We had a lot of great projects together. However, We built a house. Consequently, we had two children, we made trips to the Gaspésie and in the Bas-du-Fleuve… ”

A few years ago, André began to forget about little things. Furthermore, Then, alzheimer’s disease | they sing, the larger ones. Similarly, Little by little, Alzheimer’s disease stole his memories, his autonomy, whole sections of his life. For example, “I had no more projects with André,” says Diane. Nevertheless, But there, we have a common project: the choir. Meanwhile, »»

André’s eyes light up. For example, The choir! Therefore, “I like that, sing,” smiles the former school director. In addition, These are the scouts that taught me. Meanwhile, He tells me the first pages of the book of his life. Moreover, those that the disease has alzheimer’s disease | they sing, not yet torn off. Meanwhile, His childhood in Rosemont. Furthermore, The College of Eudists, on the benches of which he used his panties.

Around us. Consequently, the 15 members of the choir, all in a more or less advanced neurocognitive decline, wait in a sort of slight fog that the magic operates once again. Nevertheless, Soon, they will come together to sing, under the eye of their caregivers. Consequently, Gregory Charles will settle on the piano.

And, for a few songs, everyone will forget the disease.

We are in Montreal, on the film set of All in chorus, A series in eight episodes which will be broadcast on Noovo in the fall. Moreover, Experience is inspired by the British documentary Our Dementia Choir. Furthermore, A concept of the BBC bought by the Quebec producer sphere media.

There were moments of grace during filming. Moreover, Michèle, aphasic, first remained silent, a finger on her mouth, listening to others. Slowly, discreetly, she started to sing. Then, all of a sudden, she went to sit on the bench, next to Gregory Charles. “And she started playing the piano,” he marvels.

The animator knows a bit about Alzheimer’s disease. from which his two parents suffered, and on the power of music, which far exceeds the boundaries of memory. “My mother stopped speaking almost three years before her death. But she sang until the day before. With lyrics! »»

By singing, the members of the choir find their lost words. Especially the words of the songs that have rocked their youth, engraved in their memory. La vie en rose, Never forget.

This is what Isabelle Peretz. professor of psychology at the University of Montreal and expert in musical cognition, calls self -memory. “During a song, people have access to their identity. alzheimer’s disease | they sing, It wakes them up, makes them alive and humanized them. »»

“Often, it is enough to present them with their youth’s music to wake up memories,” she explains. These memories are housed in a frontal region of the brain relatively spared by the devastating effect of the disease. »»

If singing is the last thing that we forget. it is because it is proceeded from the procedural memory, a bit like cycling. But it goes further than that.

Gregory Charles wanted to write a new song for his choristers.

At the very least, music has multiple therapeutic effects. Of course. she does not heal Alzheimer’s disease, but she gives comfort and happiness to those who are affected – which is already nothing.

A Montreal study has shown that music stimulated the regions of the brain associated with the pleasure. like chocolate and sex, underlines Isabelle Peretz. “It plays on mood. It shows on the faces; The song provides an effect close to ecstasy. We’re talking about Alzheimer’s, but it works for alzheimer’s disease | they sing, everyone. It puts people on a high. It is believed that it is thanks to the release of dopamine and, probably, endorphins. »»

And this pleasure is increased tenfold when people make music together.

I interviewed Diane Latour for the first time in February 2021. for a chronicle on the expansion of medical aid to die to Quebecers suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Diane Latour then told me the story of her great friend, Micheline*. Hosted in CHSLD, Micheline no longer spoke, no longer smiled. alzheimer’s disease | they sing, His gaze was extinguished. When the first wave of the pandemic had struck, in the spring of 2020, it had contracted the COVVI-19. And Diane, her friend, wanted her to die.

The chronicle was called The urgency to die¹. Four years later, Micheline is still breathing. “This is the only thing she does for herself: breathing. Let’s see, it’s not a life, that is, “laments Diane.

Whenever she visits her to the CHSLD, she has a twinge in the heart. Each time, she says to herself: “It is not true that André will go there …”

Since October 30, Quebecers who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s diagnosis can submit an early request for medical aid to die. But for André Gadbois, it is too late. “He is not eligible, since he is unable to grant his informed consent. »»

In these circumstances, Diane Latour knows too well that André will, perhaps, go there. It is already on the way. “What I find the hardest of this disease is not repeating. I can repeat the same thing a hundred thousand times, I don’t mind. It is not to have any conversations. It’s hard to see the man you liked not to be him at all. »»

Fortunately, there remains the music. For André, and for the other members of this singular choir which is good. “They don’t feel alzheimer’s disease | they sing, good in anything,” says Diane. There, they finally live something where they feel good. »»

* Fictive first name

1. Read the chronicle “the urgency of dying”