Charity Supports Dementia Patients With Musical Scheme

Dementia patients living in sheltered accommodation across Northern Ireland are to reflect on the soundtrack of their lives through a new charity partnership.

Abbeyfield and Wesley Housing Association now boasts Northern Ireland's first Playlist for Life trainer, helping residents across its 18 facilities reflect on music they once enjoyed in a bid to lift their mood and manage their condition.

Sally Compton, a volunteer and Community Outreach Manager at Abbeyfield and Wesley Housing Association, is the region's first trainer. She has explained how the involvement with the UK charity will benefit her residents: "The Playlist for Life initiative has really opened my eyes to the power of music to reach all people but in particular those with dementia. It can alter mood and have a very calming effect. Personal meaningful music can bring back feelings, memories and sometimes even abilities thought lost. It can also strengthen relationships, reconnect families and used as a therapeutic intervention, it can even help manage some of the symptoms of dementia. A personal playlist makes the power of music available to people wherever and whenever they need it."

Residents and their families have so far responded well to the Playlist for Life and are enjoying creating the unique and personal playlists, Sally added.

Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing Association provides a range of high-quality accommodation and services to older people throughout Northern Ireland, from purpose-built apartments right through to bungalows and flats offering independent living for the active elderly and supported sheltered houses for those requiring additional support while maintaining independence and residential care.

The charity operates 18 sheltered housing facilities, and also runs the Palmerston residential dementia care home in East Belfast and three sheltered schemes in Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and Belfast.

The daughters of Muriel Jones, a resident at Palmerston Care Home, have told of how their mother often responds well to music. Claire Davies and Karen Mudge were part of the first relatives' group to receive Playlist training.

Ms Mudge explained: "Mum is sometimes quite agitated, but her music helps soothe her. And on days when she is not so engaged and non-verbal, her music lifts her. You can see her smile and there's a thoughtfulness – you can see it must be connecting with some particular memory."

Claire Davies added: "If mum can't verbalise, she can still sing the words of a song or a favourite hymn. You can reach her with music. It's like you find mum again for that moment, which is just lovely for us too."



(JG/CM)