BRING me Sunshine is the most popular song requested by elderly residents, a survey has revealed.

Home care company Home Instead Senior Care has created a Songs To Remember top 10 to launch their latest campaign as part of Dementia Action Week.

Morecambe and Wise's much loved song tops the poll with It's A Long Way To Tipperary and You Are My Sunshine in the top three.

The team, who look after people in their own homes in Runcorn and Widnes, plan to get 1,000 people to sing together.

They will be using their song sheet to singalong with clients, colleagues and residents.

Research has shown that memories of songs activate very specific areas of the brain, which seem to be particularly resistant to the damaging effects of dementia.

The clearest memories are for the music and songs people enjoyed and heard between the ages of 10 and 30.

The International Longevity Centre with support from The Utley Foundation has created a Commission on Dementia and Music.

They are actively encouraging more to be done to promote the power of music to improve the lives of people with dementia.

Brian Moynihan, owner of Home Instead at Runcorn, Widnes and Frodsham, said: “We’ve all experienced the feeling of being transported back to a place or time from our past through a piece of music or song, but for people who have dementia and their loved ones, that experience can be particularly magical.

“We are going to get everyone singing our number one song Bring Me Sunshine and we might even throw in some of the Morecambe and Wise dance moves!

"It’s going to be wonderful, bringing people together all as one voice, spreading the sheer enjoyment of music and song and seeing the impact it can have particularly on those living with dementia.”

Home Instead specialises in providing at-home care for the elderly, allowing people to remain independent for as long as possible.

It is the only home care company to offer dementia training that is City & Guilds accredited, making its caregivers experts in supporting people to live life well with dementia.

In order to identify the top 10 most popular songs Home Instead surveyed thousands of caregivers across its country-wide network.

.