Louis Armstrong hit 'What a Wonderful World' is older people's top feel good song

Louis Armstrong’s hit song ‘What a Wonderful World’ is the song that gives older people the greatest sense of wellbeing, according to a survey by Bupa Care Services.

Louis Armstrong’s song came top of a 50-song poll, commissioned by Bupa Care Services, ahead of Perry Como’s ‘Magic Moments’ and Doris Day’s ‘Whatever Will Be, Will Be’.

Brits currently in their 20s and 30s named Black Eyed Peas’ ‘I Got a Feeling’ as the song that gave them the greatest feel-good factor, ahead of Kings of Leon’s ‘Sex on Fire’ and Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’.

The research forms part of Bupa’s Winter Wellness Campaign, which is being held this week, in partnership with older people’s charity, Royal Voluntary Service (formerly WRVS).

The initiative explores how listening to music can improve wellbeing amongst older people during winter.

Damian Lenihan, director of Development, at Bupa Care Services said: “We commissioned this research to mark the start of our Winter Wellness campaign, which aims to keep older people emotionally and physically well over winter. As part of the campaign, we’ve been exploring how listening to feel-good music can have a positive impact on the emotional wellbeing of our residents and the wider elderly community.

“We’re featuring the top then feel good songs for older people in Winter Wellness events across our homes in November. We’d be very interested to see if music from the Black Eyed Peas and Robin Thicke is played to residents in care homes of the future – only time will tell!”

Professor Grenville Hancox , who has been researching the relationship between music and elderly wellbeing for the past 12 years at the Sidney de Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health at Canterbury Christ Church University said: “When we listen to music, the brain releases feel good chemicals like oxytocin and dopamine that are absolutely fundamental for the feeling of wellbeing.” Professor Hancox added: “The thing that binds all these songs together is the feeling of warmth, and feeling good about other people. There’s something hopeful and regenerative about the period of time from which these songs come from. This explains why listening to them increases our sense of wellbeing.”

Participants were given a selection of chart hits to choose from, all recorded in a thirty year period during which the volunteers will have been in their 20s and 30s. A recent study published in Psychological Science claims songs popular in our early 20s seem to have the greatest lasting impact on our lives.

During Winter Wellness Week (11 – 17 November) Bupa care homes across the UK will be putting on live musical performances of the top ten feel good songs for the wider elderly community, with free food and gentle exercise classes to help keep older people well.

Bupa Care Services is distributing a free of charge Get Ready for Winter leaflet and a Winter Warmer recipe booklet to elderly people this winter. To request a copy of either resource, please phone 0800 0281567.

List of top ten songs chosen by older people are:

1. Louis Armstrong – ‘What a Wonderful World’

2. Nat King Cole – ‘Unforgettable’

3. The Everly Brothers – ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’

4. Procol Harum – ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’

5. The Beatles – ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’

6. Doris Day – ‘Whatever Will Be, Will Be’

7. Perry Como – ‘Magic Moments’

8. Johnnie Ray – ‘Just Walkin’ in The Rain’ (joint)

8. Elvis Presley – ‘It’s Now or Never’ (joint)

10. Tom Jones – ‘Green Green Grass of Home’

List of top ten songs chosen by younger people in their 20s and 30s are:

1. Black Eyed Peas – I Got A Feeling

2. Robin Thicke Featuring Pharell – Blurred Lines

3. Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire

4. Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger

5. Daft Punk featuring Pharell – Get Lucky

6. LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem

7. Lady Gaga – Pokerface

8. Bruno Mars – Just the Way You Are

9. Rhianna featuring Calvin Harris – We Found Love

10. Bryan Adams – Everything I do, I do it for you

click here for more details or to contact Bupa Care Homes