Songwriting Works Educational Foundation

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4-Eu6Faamk]

The “World War II Homecoming Song” sprang to life one afternoon during a collaborative songwriting session with more than 30 elders and their loved ones at the Dungeness Courte Alzheimer’s Community in Sequim, WA. When four veterans of World War II began to share their stories, the group began to compose a masterpiece both from the perspective of veterans returning home, and the families who greeted them.

The song’s creation offers a striking example of how collaborative songwriting can improve cognitive function and bring other health and social benefits. During the session, the daughter of one participant awakened to her father’s unspoken love for his twin brother — she moved him across the country to spend his final year by his brother’s side.

This project, made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, in conjunction with Arts Northwest, opened new doors of understanding and communication for everyone involved.