Nottingham Workshop Looks At Ways Music Can Help Dementia Patients

Nottingham Workshop Looks At Ways Music Can Help Dementia Patients

NOTTINGHAM, 18-Apr-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Nottingham recently held a workshop which looked at ways in which music can be used to help people with dementia.

The seminar looked at how the therapeutic qualities of sound and music can be used in the care of dementia patients, and also encouraged people working in dementia to improve care through music and singing.

The workshops were delivered by Bev Foster, an experienced performer, songwriter and music educator who is Executive Director of the Room 217 Foundation, a social enterprise which applies music to achieve positive healthcare outcomes.

Entrainment
The sold out session at the University covered a range of subjects, including singing, humming, inducing moods and entrainment – the synchronisation of a body to an external rhythm.

Speaking about the session, Justine Schneider, Professor of Mental Health and Social Care, said: “It has long been known that music has a powerful role to play as part of the care of people with dementia.

“However, very often, care staff and relatives are unsure how best to use music. This course introduced participants to a range of approaches and resources to help them recognise their own skills and expertise and identify their future development needs.”

Combination of methods
The feedback from delegates was extremely positive. One of them, Julie Barnes, said: “I really enjoyed the workshop. I liked the combination of input, video, handouts and experimental methods, and I love your work and resources.”

The Music Care and Dementia Workshop was sponsored by the University of Nottingham, in conjunction with Trent Dementia Services Development Centre. It is one of a number of development courses that the University runs for care professionals.

For more information about the University’s Continuing Professional Development programme, visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/cpdstudy

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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham has 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a “distinct” approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.’ (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in the 2017 The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide. It is ranked in the world’s top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK for research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world’s greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities.

Story credits

For more information, contact Professor Justine Schneider or tel: +44 (0)115 84 67307
Nick King – Marketing Projects Manager, Business Engagement and Innovation Services
Email: nicholas.king@nottingham.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)115 823 2184
Location: University of Nottingham Innovation Park

SOURCE: The University of Nottingham