“When Eileen Pegg developed dementia in 2015, she became very anxious and easily agitated,” writes Ploy Radford in Wednesday’s (1/9) Guardian (U.K.). “Her caregivers at MHA Weston and Queensway care home … decided to see if music would help…. When Pegg, now 91, attended her first music therapy session in 2016, she was crying and unable to calm down…. By singing and clapping along to music or playing instruments at her weekly one-to-one classes, Pegg is calmer, which has encouraged her to participate in other activities, thereby improving her appetite and mood.… Choirs, music groups and specialist apps are all beneficial. Music … can be used to communicate with people with dementia, even if they no longer speak or seem to understand others’ words…. It also reduces social isolation …. The government wants to expand the use of music for dementia patients… The National Health Service’s long-term plan, published this week, promised to roll out social prescribing, including music and the arts…. Today sees the launch of the Music for Dementia 2020 campaign. The campaign’s website will … have a searchable database of suitable music activities for dementia patients.”
Posted January 10, 2019
