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Music supporting those living with dementia and their carers

May 21st, 2021 | 1 min read

By Steven Greenall

This week (17-23 May 2021) is Dementia Action Week organised by the Alzheimer's Society. We wanted to support this important campaign and also raise awareness about how music helps support those living with dementia and their carers.

Dementia is a debilitating disease that can dramatically alter the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of a person's life. Worldwide, around 50 million people have dementia. That number is projected to rise to 152 million people by 2050. It is anticipated that there will be 1.14m people living with dementia in the UK by 2025, according to Alzheimer’s Research – up from around 885,000 today.

music therapy reduces agitation dementia

Additionally, 15% of older adults without Alzheimer's disease likely have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), between normal cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease and up to 38% of these adults will go on to develop Alzheimer's within 5 years.

A new research study, published in the American Journal of Geriatrics, has shown that music provides a "significant effect on cognitive functioning for older adults with probable MCI (mild cognitive impairment) or dementia" and that "music showed promise to support quality of life and mood".

The UK charity, Music for Dementia, works with more than 200 charities and organisations and also speaks to the music industry and government to raise awareness and understanding of the role of music in dementia care. They also provide a number resources to help you bring music into the lives of people living with dementia.

our journey with music through dementia

If you or a family member are living with dementia and you feel music can help you here are some of our recommended resources:

The Musical Care Pathway (Music for Dementia)

Music for Dementia Toolkits

Music and Dementia (Age UK)

Music and Dementia: A Powerful Connector (NHS)

Documentary on Music & Dementia (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

Watch below to find out about our work with Age UK in Cheshire and using brass music to help overcome isolation and promote well-being for adult learners in partnership with Fodens Brass Band.

 

Read more...

Read BBC Radio 6 Music’s article 6 things music can do for your mind

Read more about the Benefits of Music here.

Music is a powerful contributor to young people's wellbeing - youthmusic.org

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Steven Greenall

Steven has over twenty years of experience working in the music industry. With degrees in Electrical Engineering and an MA in European Cultural Policy & Administration from the University of Warwick, where he now serves as a Course Tutor on their MA in Creative and Media Enterprises, Steven served as Executive Director of a non-profit international music association based in the United States from 2000 – 2007.

Steven is founder and CEO of Warwick Music Group now known as pBone Music, and started playing the trombone at the age of nine. Based in North Warwickshire, the company manufactures musical instruments that make the joy of music accessible. sustainable and fun including the world's first plastic trombone, pBone, which has sold over 250,000 units worldwide and won major international awards including the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise (Innovation) in 2019.

He was elected as a board director for the UK music industry trade body, the Music Industries Association, in 2019 becoming its chair in 2020, and is frequently interviewed or invited to present guest lectures on cultural entrepreneurship, music education, and the future of the music industry. At the request of the owner, Denis Wick, Steven joined the board of Denis Wick Products in 2021 subsequently being appointed their Chief Executive Officer in 2022, a role he performs alongside his role as CEO for pBone Music.

Steven lives in Warwickshire with his wife, Kate, their three young children, two ponies and a faithful labrador, and enjoys coaching his local youth rugby team.