A TUNEFUL way to help Stratford residents with dementia is hoping to hit the right note.
Ambleside care home on Evesham Road is inviting locals to join them as they take part in Music for Dementia every Friday from 2.30pm until 3:30pm.
The session will offer older people, including those living with dementia and their carers, an opportunity to experience a taster of the music therapy sessions on offer at Ambleside, as well as a chance to learn more about the associated benefits.
The home’s team, who have extensive experience in caring for older people, will also be on hand to share tips and advice for supporting a loved one living with dementia. So far, the sessions have prooved popular among residents, and team members are already starting to see the positive effects.
Music is a daily part of life at Ambleside. Aside from the regular session, residents also have ‘memory boxes’ outside their bedroom, featuring memorabilia to represent the things that are meaningful to them.
This now also includes a QR code that links to their favourite song – an initiative for which dementia champions Marianne Siviter, Staci Reeson, and Ana Jackson were awarded a regional GEM award.
Home manager Charlotte Levin said: “We’re thrilled at the positive difference our sing-alongs have already had on residents, and so we’re delighted to be extending the invitation to the local community.
“Music can have many therapeutic benefits for older people, especially those living with dementia, by offering them an alternative way to communicate, while also bringing back happy memories from their younger years. Music for Dementia has been designed to do just that – plus everyone here loves a sing-along.”
