Shell Lake Arts Center

Written by Dave Zeug for The Spooner Advocate
Shared with permission.

SHELL LAKE- Like many people in northern Wisconsin, Doug LeMoine knows the challenges of being a caregiver for someone with dementia. He also learned how those impacted by the disease as it progresses to the inevitable end can find a bit of enjoyment through the journey. Now, he hopes to help others with the formation of the Northern Lights Choir.

Doug’s wife, Cindy, passed away in July from the disease.

“Cindy was a highly skilled recruiter for insurance professionals during her working career. She was also a talented musician playing the piano and the flute before the disease took that enjoyment away from her. She was diagnosed with cognitive decline when she was 55, and by 2016, the diagnosis was early onset dementia. She had been so outgoing, not afraid of doing anything, but the disease changed her. It continually made her worry about doing something wrong; she simply wasn’t the same person after that. She was 67 when she passed away,” Doug said.

Besides being a talented musician, Cindy also loved singing in choirs. This love eventually led Doug and Cindy to Eau Claire and the Stand In The Light Memory Choir. This choir is part of the Giving Voice Initiative in Eau Claire, an organization that inspires and equips organizations to bring together people with dementia and their care partners, to sing in choirs that foster joy, purpose and community understanding.

“Cindy was able to make friends and make music with the Eau Claire choir,” Doug said. “She just loved the experience and would ask in the morning if we were going to a practice session today. In the Giving Voice Initiative choirs, people with dementia are paired with a volunteer singing partner, someone not impacted by the disease. Cindy was so fortunate to be paired with Mary Elworthy in the Eau Claire memory choir. Mary was such a good friend of Cindy’s. She woke up most every day asking if it was the day we could go to choir practice. She loved everything about it, especially the social hour. Being around others who loved music was the key, but her love of spending time with her friend Mary was also so important to her.”

Cindy LeMoine’s love of music and knowing how music can be a form of support for both those with dementia and their caregivers is where Doug’s passion lies now.

“The Northern Lights Choir may be in Shell Lake, but this choir is available for anyone from any place who wants to join. Cindy and I drove to Eau Claire weekly for concerts and practices. We both looked forward to those days,” Doug said. “The goal for the Giving Voice Initiative is to set up 15 memory choirs in Wisconsin and Minnesota. They thought Shell Lake would be an ideal location for one of them because they knew about the Shell Lake Art Center and all it offers, including the Erica Quam Theater. That’s where we’ve been practicing. The Art Center’s been great; Megan Johnson, Carol Thompson and Tam Smith have all been instrumental in getting the Northern Lights Choir up and running.”

Studies have found music can be a powerful tool for those dealing with dementia. It helps to evoke memories, reduce agitation while improving mood and cognitive function. Giving Voice encourages selecting familiar and enjoyable music. This means music from their younger years usually works best. It can be particularly effective in simulating recall and creating positive emotional responses, even for individuals with significant memory loss.

“For Cindy and others with dementia, words and music are in their minds somewhere. She would start singing along with the others; it made her so happy to remember the songs and be part of something special. The choir was a place where she didn’t stand out or feel people may be babying her. The expectations were to learn the songs, but the objective was to have fun. Performing was a big deal. Everyone, those with dementia and their performing partners, all got dressed up and ready to perform. We plan to do the same things here on a smaller scale than Eau Claire, at least to start with. Anyone who wants to join our choir will be welcome, although we hope more people with dementia and their care givers will come. Cindy loved the choir and telling people she was in one. She just loved it and I think others, both caregivers and those with dementia, would, too,” concluded LeMoine.

Doug encourages anyone interested in joining the Northern Lights Choir to get more information at NLCinfo@shelllartscenter.org.