Favourite song at Forfar Music Cafe helps Carol to find her voice

Carol’s singing moved everyone during the regular Music Cafe meeting.

Staff at a Forfar care home were stunned recently when music worked its magic and helped one resident find her voice during a weekly Music Cafe held in the town.

Both residents and staff from Benholm Care Home experienced the remarkable moment this month when Carol, who rarely speaks and communicates primarily through body language, started singing.

For the first time in a long while, Carol’s voice was heard as she joined in with Doris Day’s ‘Que Sera, Sera’, one of the favourite songs from her youth.

Up until then, she would enjoy the music club quietly, often tapping along or smiling as the songs play.

However, as the opening notes of the familiar melody began, she softly started to sing, surprising residents and staff alike. Her voice, long absent from conversation, filled the room and left a lasting impact on everyone.

Tracey Edwards, well-being lead at Benholm, said: “Moments like these are why we bring our residents along to Music Club. To see Carol feel comfortable enough to express herself vocally after so long was incredibly moving for everyone here.”

The Music Café, an initiative from the East, Old and Inverarity Parish Church, provides a relaxed and supportive environment in which residents can engage with music in ways that resonate with them personally. Tracey added that Carol’s unexpected vocal participation is a testament to the power of music in creating connections and fostering expression in the shared community.