Virtual group singing programs for well-being in healthy older adults and persons with neurocognitive disorders during early COVID-19 pandemic: A perspective from Chicago

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults experienced health declines due to isolation. Group singing is known to enhance social, emotional, and physical well-being, but its feasibility in virtual formats was unclear. Objective To assess the feasibility of virtual group singing for cognitively healthy (CH) adults and individuals with neurocognitive disorders (NcD) during the pandemic. Method Two teleconferencing programs were conducted for participants aged >55: (1) a sing-along series with 52 weekly sessions of familiar music and (2) a choir program with structured weekly rehearsals culminating in a virtual concert. Retrospective surveys assessed anxiety reduction, social connection, and physical well-being using Likert scales and participants provided open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analyzed with ordinal regression and probability modeling, while qualitative themes were explored with Fisher's exact test. Results Participants reported high levels of satisfaction across all measures. Sing-along programs provided greater satisfaction, particularly through reminiscence (p = 0.003). Choir participants noted enhanced intellectual well-being (p = 0.017). NcD participants were less satisfied with social connection but showed similar overall satisfaction levels compared to CH participants. Conclusions Virtual group singing was feasible during periods of isolation as supported by satisfaction of the participants with pertaining to anxiety reduction, social connection and physical well-being. Sing-along programs provided emotional satisfaction through reminiscence (connection to past), while choir programs offered intellectual stimulation through multiple rehearsals. These findings highlight the potential of virtual singing to promote stability, connection, and well-being for older adults during times of disruption.