​Advancing age should not signal a loss of mirth, motivation or interest in life. It should be a time of appreciation and celebration of life’s achievements and accumulated interests demonstrated by a willingness and delight in conversing about and reminiscing on these experiences.

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However, any deterioration of mind or bodily functions can inhibit this joy of living and sharing. ​

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This is where Music Therapy can help...

 

...By enabling this process and thereby helping to lift an elderly person’s spirits and restore a sense of self.

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Music has the capacity to encourage, energise and empower the release of a person’s true inner self. The planned use of music is being applied by music therapist worldwide to successfully address an elder person's physical, mental, emotional, cognitive and social needs.

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A strong body of international research supports the use of Music Therapy to help maintain or improve physical, mental, cognitive and psychological functions in the elderly.

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By providing sensory stimulation and the opportunity to create, perform and move to music, a Music Therapy programme is a truly effective way of assisting the elderly in maintaining and improving their physical and psychological functions. The sense of joy and well-being that music induces has a calming effect on mind and body and is a powerful unifier when used in group interventions. It encourages conversation, sharing of reminiscences and, whilst not a pre-requisite to engage in Music Therapy, it may unleash a hidden or forgotten musical talent.

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Individualised programmes

 

Our therapists have a vague experience working in the field of elder care, through partnerships with nursing homes and community centres nationwide.

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​Sessions are guided by the needs of our clients, as determined at the assessment phase and can be conducted on a  one-to-one or group basis. Sessions can be delivered with or without instruments, with accompaniment (either live or pre-recorded) or acappella.

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When working with groups, participants are placed in an environment that suits their personality and mental state. Some settle better in an open group, where they are free to come and go as they wish; others need to be placed in a closed group, where the make-up of the group is carefully composed to avoid placing additional conflict or unease on the patient.

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Music Therapy’s positive outcomes in elderly care have been proven through years of research and clinical work on the field.  We have carefully designed a range of Elderly Care Music Therapy programmes that focus on addressing the needs of the elderly in three main areas:

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Physical state​

 

• ​Improves mobility, strength and muscle control​

• Helps pain management​

• Promotes relaxation and stress management; elicits positive physical reactions that reduce the risks of cardio-cerebral problems and high blood pressure​

• Enhances the motivation for and engagement in physical rehabilitation exercises when these are combined with the use of music

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Cognition & Communication ​​

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• Promotes sensory and intellectual stimulation

• Helps with reality orientation (time, place, person recognition) and information recall

• Improves attention/concentration and stimulates long and short-term memory

• Stimulates the mind through reminiscence and creative self-expression which helps to improve quality of life

• Provides an alternative means of communication when cognitive and language abilities are reduced

• Promotes a response, even in late-stage Dementia, when response to most other stimuli is impaired​

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​Emotional state​​

 

• Provides the enjoyment of participation and promotes engagement, social interaction and a sense of belonging​

• Provides an important way to cope with the stress of ageing, death or physical/ psychological failures, as it eliminates anxiety, depression and feelings of isolation

• Enhances self-esteem by providing opportunities for choice and control

• Facilitates expression of feelings and emotions​

• Provides comfort and psychological support to clients and their families​

• Improves mood, motivation, and overall well-being

• Decreases levels of stress and agitation and promotes positive behaviours​

• Improves relaxation, sleep patterns and nutritional intake​

• Song writing for self expression may help meet an elderly person’s bio-psychosocial and spiritual needs, as they approach the end of their life.