Sing from your Seat: community singing in the great outdoors in VR as a beneficial intervention for the elderly
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Electronics
Abstract
The research project 'The Hills are Alive: combining the benefits of natural environments and group singing through immersive technologies', successfully developed and implemented a new immersive experience in which individuals participate in a group singing event on a Lake District mountain summit in virtual reality. Conceived with project partners the National Trust and Keswick Museum, this project achieved its core aim to provide opportunities not just for able-bodied participants to enjoy the multiple wellbeing benefits of singing on mountain summits, but also to present opportunities for those otherwise unable to access such activities to do so through an immersive virtual reality experience. To this end, 30 members of the general public tried the experience at Keswick Museum; wearing a microphone, VR headset and headphones, they could participate in an improvised singing workshop, or sing or observe a choral performance on the top of Great Gable. The exhibit which was in situ for 6 weeks was visited by over 50 people (for passive, non-immersive observation of the recorded performances). Beyond the objectives of the original project we devised and tested an efficient workflow for a mobile version of the experience utilising more widely available and cheaper technology. At the Lakes Alive Festival 150 took part in this 'mobile' experience. All participants reported *** and *** after trying both museum and 'mobile' versions of the experience.
This follow-on project adds significant value to these previously defined pathways for impact, by targeting an entirely new community: Elderly people living in sheltered or residential accommodation. This demographic are especially suited to benefit directly from this work, with both group singing activities and access to the outdoors acknowledged in the sector and in academic research as being important to their wellbeing and quality of life. However their engagement was beyond the scope of the original project as even a visit to a museum is not within the everyday capabilities of many residents. A distinct new body of work is therefore needed to disseminate the outputs of the research project in a meaningful way that maximises engagement and meets the specific needs of the elderly community. This work will apply the relevant workflows developed in the research project, and learn from the feedback received from the experiences we piloted, to create a new, bespoke interactive group singing experience for the elderly community. We will work closely with our new partners, AgeUK, and four care homes in Yorkshire, to engage in meaningful knowledge exchange of their expert understanding of this new demographic to devise the new experience with existing partner and artistic director Dave Camlin. We will take our new experience to day centres and care homes in York over a four month period, gathering feedback from participants and staff. We will measure the impact of these public engagement activities through a new model of impact measurement, with different levels of metrics and descriptive understanding, including; the number of individuals trying, rating and returning to the experience; the engagement of users from the perspective of staff, especially considering their relationship with the residents; and, the willingness / enthusiasm of staff to implement the experience as an important intervention / activity to improve the quality of life of their residents.
A new workflow will be developed to enable organisations to integrate our experiences into their activity structures, catering for individual practical requirements, including economic constraints, available in-house technologies and skills sets. This online content will enable organisations unrestricted and easy access to our experience at different levels of participation depending on the resources available, providing a sustainable, impactful and engaging experience with potential benefits across society.
This follow-on project adds significant value to these previously defined pathways for impact, by targeting an entirely new community: Elderly people living in sheltered or residential accommodation. This demographic are especially suited to benefit directly from this work, with both group singing activities and access to the outdoors acknowledged in the sector and in academic research as being important to their wellbeing and quality of life. However their engagement was beyond the scope of the original project as even a visit to a museum is not within the everyday capabilities of many residents. A distinct new body of work is therefore needed to disseminate the outputs of the research project in a meaningful way that maximises engagement and meets the specific needs of the elderly community. This work will apply the relevant workflows developed in the research project, and learn from the feedback received from the experiences we piloted, to create a new, bespoke interactive group singing experience for the elderly community. We will work closely with our new partners, AgeUK, and four care homes in Yorkshire, to engage in meaningful knowledge exchange of their expert understanding of this new demographic to devise the new experience with existing partner and artistic director Dave Camlin. We will take our new experience to day centres and care homes in York over a four month period, gathering feedback from participants and staff. We will measure the impact of these public engagement activities through a new model of impact measurement, with different levels of metrics and descriptive understanding, including; the number of individuals trying, rating and returning to the experience; the engagement of users from the perspective of staff, especially considering their relationship with the residents; and, the willingness / enthusiasm of staff to implement the experience as an important intervention / activity to improve the quality of life of their residents.
A new workflow will be developed to enable organisations to integrate our experiences into their activity structures, catering for individual practical requirements, including economic constraints, available in-house technologies and skills sets. This online content will enable organisations unrestricted and easy access to our experience at different levels of participation depending on the resources available, providing a sustainable, impactful and engaging experience with potential benefits across society.
Planned Impact
The residents at the care homes and day centres who take part in the activity will directly benefit from this project in a number of ways: through the introduction of immersive experiences via virtual reality technology, engagement with otherwise inaccessible outdoor environments through the immersive experience, and as the experiences engage the participants in a group singing activity. This project will potentially improve the wellbeing of these individuals beyond the benefits to this community of a VR group singing activity itself, as the experience being shared by residents will promote real-life interactions and conversations within the group.
Our project partners Age UK, Wellburn Care Homes and Auden House Daycare Centre will benefit throughout the project, with the VR activity installed as programmed activities that are supported by the project assistant. This will give them a unique opportunity to explore the potential of VR technology and the impact it could have on residents
As an output of this project the whole care home sector will have free and easy access to new resources to improve the quality of life of their residents. Providing cost effective methods to improve the wellbeing of the elderly is a top priority identified by our partners.
The members of the choir taking part in the recording of the new immersive experience will also directly benefit, as they did in the original research project. The feedback of the choir form the original recordings indicates notable contributions of the activity to their wellbeing and self-reported happiness. Some of the choir in this project will be the same singers who took part in the previous recordings, however some new members are expected to join.
The academic community working with VR will benefit from the new effective workflows developed in this project, which will be published, to enable versatile engagement with VR content across platforms.
This project addresses the growing concern amongst society that more is needed to be done to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of the elderly, particularly those in residential or sheltered housing who are often unable to live independent lives and rely on their institutions to provide fulfilling activities. This project, by providing an innovative and cost effective activity that could positively impact the lives of the elderly throughout the care home sector could in turn have a positive effect on the whole of society. The workflows developed will have meaningful application reaching far beyond the communities directly benefiting from this project in any walk of life that might positively utilise immersive technologies.
Our project partners Age UK, Wellburn Care Homes and Auden House Daycare Centre will benefit throughout the project, with the VR activity installed as programmed activities that are supported by the project assistant. This will give them a unique opportunity to explore the potential of VR technology and the impact it could have on residents
As an output of this project the whole care home sector will have free and easy access to new resources to improve the quality of life of their residents. Providing cost effective methods to improve the wellbeing of the elderly is a top priority identified by our partners.
The members of the choir taking part in the recording of the new immersive experience will also directly benefit, as they did in the original research project. The feedback of the choir form the original recordings indicates notable contributions of the activity to their wellbeing and self-reported happiness. Some of the choir in this project will be the same singers who took part in the previous recordings, however some new members are expected to join.
The academic community working with VR will benefit from the new effective workflows developed in this project, which will be published, to enable versatile engagement with VR content across platforms.
This project addresses the growing concern amongst society that more is needed to be done to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of the elderly, particularly those in residential or sheltered housing who are often unable to live independent lives and rely on their institutions to provide fulfilling activities. This project, by providing an innovative and cost effective activity that could positively impact the lives of the elderly throughout the care home sector could in turn have a positive effect on the whole of society. The workflows developed will have meaningful application reaching far beyond the communities directly benefiting from this project in any walk of life that might positively utilise immersive technologies.
People |
ORCID iD |
Helena Daffern (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Camlin D
(2020)
Group singing as a resource for the development of a healthy public: a study of adult group singing
in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
Daffern H
(2019)
Exploring the potential of virtual reality technology to investigate the health and well being benefits of group singing.
in International journal of performance arts and digital media
Title | Website |
Description | New community choir performances in VR and a choir concert in VR availbel in several formats depending on the hardware available for viewing |
Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Impact | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjEJ1Y0NY3ZL17sm3vI-TFQ/about 1500 views on the website and interest from several other partners to be involved in the project - including AgeUK Doncaster - ExploreYork. The system is also part of current funding proposals for future research into sinsing for wellbeing. |
URL | https://audiolab.york.ac.uk/get-the-experience/ |
Title | York Wellbeing Choir songs |
Description | We added 4 Christmas songs as VR recordings to the Sing from Your Seat YouTube Channel |
Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | 408 views of the new content online. |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjEJ1Y0NY3ZL17sm3vI-TFQ |
Description | This project tested the use of virtual reality choir experiences for elderly residents in carehomes. The findings show a positive engagement with the system both from the residents and caregivers. The VR system became a useful tool to calm agitated residents and provide an activity that didn't require timetabling. |
Exploitation Route | We now want to disseminate the virtual choir as widely as possible - we are working to build new partners to explore further use of the system. In particular with York Hospital and ExploreYork. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjEJ1Y0NY3ZL17sm3vI-TFQ |
Description | The YouTube channel has been viewed 5,846 times in addition to 200 people trying the experience in full VR at festivals and over 50 residents in Carehomes taking part in our trial sessions. Responses have been overwhelmingly positive, with carehomes using the system to provide entertainment and calming activities when timetables activities are too expensive or impractical. Viewings increased during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown with reports (via email / comments) that it was a source of joy and comfort when unable ot sing together in person. This has led to the contribution of the foundational work of this project to the MINERVA project working with York Wellbeing Choir which has allowed us to create more material for the YouTube channel and engage another 50+ people in the development of hybrid models for virtual choirs. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | The impact of digital technology on arts and culture in the UK |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0669/ |
Description | MINERVA: Musical Interaction in Networked Environments with Realtime Virtual Acoustics (awarded from institutional IAA) |
Amount | £115,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/R51181X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2021 |
End | 06/2022 |
Description | Sing from your Seat: community singing in the great outdoors in VR as a beneficial intervention for the elderly |
Amount | £32,006 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/S010572/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2019 |
End | 06/2019 |
Description | AgeUK |
Organisation | Age UK |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Daffern instigated a relationship with AgeUK York to gauge their interest in utilising the Sing from your Seat system with elderly populations in and around York. We met with representatives from Age UK a number of times and formalised the collaboration fro the grant proposal. The daycentre activities run by Age UK in York were a key part of the project in providing a virtual reality choir as an activity. |
Collaborator Contribution | AgeUK provided us with contacts for carehomes and enabled us to provide activities as part of their ongoing programmes of activities in York. |
Impact | The virtual choir has been used by over 50 members of the community as part of this project (under supervision by a member of the research team). |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Wellburn Carehomes |
Organisation | Wellburn Carehomes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Introductions were made by AgeUK to Wellburn Care who facilitated us working with them - visiting their carehomes and working with their staff to see how we could embed our workslows into their daily care for residents. |
Collaborator Contribution | Worked with the reserach team to explain the systems in place in the carehomes and worked with the team to engage resiedents with the experience. |
Impact | Repeated visited to 3 carehomes for residents to try the VR experience. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | National Trust Magazine |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A double page spread in the National Trust Magazine describing the Fellowship fo Hill and Wind and Sunshine project which the Hills are Alive is an integral part of. The article described the the choir, the repertoire, the purpose of the project and the research being undertaken. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Seminar on music and social transformation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was invited to be part of a keynote panel Seminar on music and social transformation, Fundación Nacional Batuta, Columbia presenting the work on Sing from your Seat and related reserach on virtual choirs. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | The Story of Singing in Virtual Reality Podcast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Series Four: The Story of Singing in Virtual Reality (episode one) November 15, 2018 Virtual reality technology is being tested in a range of new contexts, from helping museum visitors access the past and travel the world, to allowing people with disabilities to experience activities they have difficulties with in the 'real world.' Researchers at the University of York's Audio Laboratories are now investigating what impact the technology could have on community singing. Previous research has shown that singing, and particularly choir singing, can have positive impacts on mental health and wellbeing, but can it have the same impact in the virtual world? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://thestoryofthings.podbean.com/e/series-four-the-story-of-singing-in-virtual-reality/ |
Description | York Wellbeing Choir |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | As part of the MINERVA project (IAA funding) we have been running the Virtual York Wellbeing Choir developing hybrid models of engagement that follow on from Sing from your Seat. As part of this I spoke at rehearsals describing the Sing from your Seat project, the choir created new material for the YouTube channel and took part in the online virtual choir. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022 |
Description | YorkTalk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Singing in a virtual world: understanding the real world benefits of singing together |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptezY5POVH8&feature=youtu.be |