Evaluating The Feasibility of Preliminary Randomised Evaluation of Singing in Dementia (PRESIDE) in Community Group Settings

Background Community singing interventions have been explored as potential therapeutic activities for people with dementia and their carers. This feasibility study aimed to evaluate the practicality, engagement, and preliminary outcomes of such an intervention. Methods A total of 72 participants (36 dyads) were recruited across three sites, achieving 45% of the target sample size. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group, which engaged in community singing sessions, or a waiting list control group. Demographic characteristics were balanced between groups, and baseline musical engagement was low. Recruitment challenges and varying site fidelity were noted. Results The intervention demonstrated high feasibility, with patient reported outcome measures being practical and successfully administered. Despite a lack of statistically significant differences in patient reported outcome measures due to the small sample size, slight improvements were observed in quality of life, well-being, and daily activities within the intervention group. Retention rates were good, although slightly higher in the control group. Notably, post-intervention, all sites transitioned to independent community singing groups or secured funding for continued activities, indicating strong participant engagement and perceived value. Conclusions The study highlights the potential benefits of community singing interventions for people with dementia and their carers, suggesting improvements in quality of life and well-being. However, challenges such as recruitment and control condition engagement must be addressed in future research. Larger sample sizes and extended follow-up periods are necessary to confirm the intervention’s effectiveness and to explore its long-term impact. Trial Registration: Funded by NIHR Research for Patient Benefit – Social Care (NIHR202982) and has been registered with ISRCTN (10201482) and IRAS (Project ID: 313298). The University of Nottingham is the trial sponsor.