Nov 26 2014: Creative project strikes a chord for people living with dementia
South Yorkshire-based charity Lost Chord has teamed up with Derbyshire orchestra Sinfonia Viva to work on an innovative project supporting people living with dementia at a Sheffield care home.
Musicians from both organisations, led by music education specialist Sam Glazer, have been working with residents and carers at Brunswick Gardens Village on the music project.
Instead of focusing on music from the past to evoke memories, the creative sessions have been encouraging residents to work as a group to create their own music.
Lost Chord, whose patrons include Sir Cliff Richard, Dame Vera Lynn and opera star Lesley Garrett, produces more than 1,300 interactive musical sessions a year across South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire as well as London, Cardiff, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.
Chief Executive Helena Muller said: “Lost Chord has a national reputation for being dedicated to improving the quality of life and well-being of those living with dementia in residential homes, using interactive musical sessions to stimulate those areas of the brain which are still responding.
“Evidence suggests that music and other creative arts activity can indeed re-awaken the mind and re-engage them with the world around them.
“Simply listening to music is beneficial in itself whilst playing an instrument could help at least reduce the long-term effects of dementia.
“We know that it increases the participants’ quality of life by offering them engaging activity. By involving staff and relatives, the positive effects of this project will hopefully continue for the longer term.
“We were keen to work with Sinfonia Viva to draw upon the talents of their professional musicians and this collaborative project has been a huge success.
Sinfonia Viva Education Manager Marianne Barraclough added: “Viva has a national reputation for our innovative approach to working with young people and local community groups but we have previously not particularly worked with older people.
“We were therefore delighted to join with Lord Chord who have extensive experience in the field of dementia and with Sam Glazer to develop this project that takes a very different approach to working with older people and their carers facing these issues.
“As well as supporting people living with dementia to be able to participate and enjoy in music workshops, we have also been supporting the staff to help them hopefully continue to work with music for the benefit of the residents.”
