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Music and Dementia

Music and Dementia

How music can help people with Dementia

Live well and feel better

 Are you suffering with a long-term health condition or supporting someone that needs long-term care? Currently over 850,000 people in the UK are suffering with Dementia and numbers are set to rise to over 1 million by 2025 and a staggering 2 million by 2051.

Dementia can lead to memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language.  Conditions vary and affect people differently but as symptoms progress it often becomes harder to communicate making everyday tasks a challenge. Mood and behaviour changes are common symptoms and leaves families searching for a way to reconnect with the person they know and love.

Reconnect with music

Recent studies have found music offers a connection between memory and mood. Some exciting initiatives are harnessing the power of music that can be incredibly positive for dementia sufferers and their families.

Vicky McClure’s uplifting BBC documentary ‘Our Dementia Choir’ was a great example of how this therapy can help. With specialists from medicine, music therapy, and performance, Vicky formed a special choir of 20 singers who are living with dementia and saw outstanding results.

The documentary showed evidence that music can help people with Dementia to feel and live better. Singing can increase positive emotional processing and evidence suggests that it can improve someone's mood, behaviour and wellbeing.

Throughout our lives we build a special connection to music and harnessing this can be particularly powerful. Research shows that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost so listening to favourite songs can actually bring back those old memories and feelings.  

When someone with dementia starts to lose their speech, this is particularly upsetting for families who feel they have ‘lost’ their loved ones. Communication is broken, there are often no responses and dialogue become a thing of the past.

It’s incredibly difficult for family carers to handle, and many stop talking themselves not wanting to upset or aggravate their loved ones. However, dementia sufferers can be transformed when they hear a song they recognise and often join in singing and/or dancing along to their favourite songs which can be a precious moment for families to share.

Join in the fun 

The good news is there are lots of ways to get involved.

With the launch of ‘BBC Music Memories’ classic, popular or even theme tunes can be played and listened to at home.

‘Playlist for Life’ the UKs leading music and dementia charity can create a unique, personal playlist that can reflect someone’s life story and gather tunes that are most deeply attached to memories and emotions. These can be shared and enjoyed by all the family.  

The Alzheimer’s society offers interactive ‘Singing for the brain’ sessions where they use singing to bring people with dementia together in a friendly and stimulating way. In fact, 100% of people who use their groups say it improved their lives! On their website you can search for a group near you.

So why not try getting connected to the music and see the effects for yourself. We believe it improves everyone’s wellbeing whatever their age.

If you’d like to find out more about dementia care at home and how we can help please get in touch.

Harleston 01379 640100

Snetterton 01953 667950

Halesworth 01986 800227

 

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