What can a country that supports lifelong involvement in music tell us about the importance of creative arts? That’s what University of California, San Francisco cognitive neuroscientist Julene Johnson hopes to answer after spending six months as a Fulbright Scholar in Jyväskylä, Finland. Johnson found a strong correlation between community choirs and the well being of older Fins.

"The older Fins who reported the greatest benefit from singing in a choir, also have the highest ratings on the quality of life measure. So although this was just a cross-sectional study, there was a strong relationship between those who told us that they had a high benefit from the choir, and also those who had reported a high quality of life."

Johnson is now conducting a study on seniors singing in community choirs in the U.S.

"Participating in the creative arts might decrease loneliness and improve your mood, but it almost might have some other impacts, such as making somebody physically stronger or also helping them keep their brain and their mind engaged."