Gjenya Cambray describes the powerful impact of music projects on dementia patients.
In a project run by Point Out (Eastleigh Borough Council?s arts team), residents at one Eastleigh care home have been taking global journeys through music. Picture a room full of elderly dementia patients playing musical instruments and singing songs from around the globe alongside professional musicians, and you?re somewhere near experiencing ?Music In Care Homes?.
Working with the growing elderly population is highly relevant in a region where many come to retire. There are now 750,000 UK residents who currently suffer from dementia, with one in five over-85 year-olds being affected and many of these being in residential care. Music In Care Homes has found music to be especially relevant for those with dementia.
In the past six months, 250 people have taken part in regular music sessions at 12 homes and day centres in the area. With a wealth of instruments to play and classic songs that everyone knows, the sessions have been lively and loud! Care homes seldom have the opportunity to work with professionals over a period of months as they did with this project, so sustainability has been key to our planning. Homes have been actively encouraged to keep the project alive through the provision of instruments, resource packs and training sessions.
The musicians who have led the project are known for their work in health and care settings. Maggie O?Connor, part of duo Besame Mucho, is known for her work with Healing Arts on the Isle of Wight, while Andrew Knights, has worked in care homes around the South East for Hampshire County Council and teaches at Trinity College of Music, London. In conjunction with a team at Southampton University, he has been working throughout the project on a research paper into the effects of live music on dementia patients. The research strongly suggests that participating in live music results in an increased response from dementia patients, in comparison with passive entertainment.
The clinical manager of one of the homes, A. N. Murdoch, has produced a second paper assessing the effects of participatory music sessions on residents. He concluded that music ?appeared to decrease agitated behaviour and stimulated cognitive and psychological functions? It was apparently successful in reducing the social, emotional, communicative and physical disabilities incurred by dementia.? Most poignant though is an individual case the paper refers to: ?Miss B was generally unresponsive, agitated and constantly challenging, with limited cognitive ability to engage in other activities. Miss B, who generally did not speak, participated by singing whole songs, her eye contact with the musicians was intense, her rhythm was consistently appropriate and concentration on other group members as they played was continuous.?
The involvement of care staff in the planning and delivery of the project has driven it along. Their observations and anecdotal evidence have taught us as much as the written reports. For example, care staff observed that being invited to play an instrument engaged people in a way previous concerts hadn?t. Working with care staff that the residents know and trust has also proved essential in getting the most out of this work. When care staff led by example, playing and singing along, the residents? participation was highest.
Point Out has learnt much from the project to date. These valuable lessons are only the start of Music In Care Homes in Eastleigh, and can easily be adopted in future music work with dementia patients to gain the most benefits. As one care worker very clearly put it, ?There is no doubt that music makes a difference in the residents? lives.?
Gjenya Cambray is Media & Music Officer for Point Out. t: 023 8062 7805;
e: gjenya.cambray@eastleigh.gov.uk