Digital Listening Resources
Music for Dementia radio is an online station that will play various songs from the decades. A good starting point is to perhaps choose the music from when a person was aged 10 -30 years old and gauge response to find which is best. There is also live radio which has different slots at each time of day, which could shape when you choose to use the station – M4D Radio
Music for wellbeing – Recovery College Online – This site has a list of playlists that support a change in feeling state (evidenced based in neuroscience – developed by Nigel Osborne et. al. X systems)- i.e. music that goes from low activation/emotional valency to a slightly higher activation/emotional valency over a 40-minute playlist.
This could be played in the morning in the buildup towards personal care. Music that moves in the opposite direction to prepare someone for bedtime.
The playlists are with specific artists or genres of music but could support purposeful listening chunks rather than having music on indiscriminately throughout the day. This could support adding shape to a person’s day.
Useful Websites
British Association for Music Therapy British Association for Music Therapy :: Home (bamt.org)
This website provides information and may help you to find a registered music therapist.
Alzheimer Scotland We are Scotland’s dementia charity (alzscot.org)
This website provides useful information about dementia, music therapy and other services, as well as signposting.
Arts 4 Dementia www.arts4dementia.org.uk
This website signposts to a range of dementia friendly activities in your area.
Luminate Find a Choir or Singing Group – Dementia Inclusive Singing Network (luminatescotland.org)
This website supports users to access dementia inclusive choirs around Scotland.
Let’s Talk About Dementia Blog site (Alzheimer Scotland) Listening, Being and Connecting | Let’s Talk about Dementia (wordpress.com)
This site hosts various blogs which share insights and experiences as well as tips for working with dementia. This blog above, written during COVID19, describes approaches for listening to music with people who are living with dementia.
Forget Me Notes Our Services — Forget Me Notes Project
This Edinburgh based project supports inclusive singing groups, as well as a Zoom choir which is accessible remotely.
Living Musically with Dementia – Themes and Variations for Carers https://www.thepontoon.info/single-project#matchreport2023
This report highlights various themes and approaches from a project in the Borders sponsored by Alzheimer Scotland.
