Our weekly music-making club brings together people with dementia, using the power of music to enhance their lives and improve their wellbeing. Supported by music leaders, sessions are filled with joy, excitement and connection, as individuals play, experience and make music together.
Named Our Music Club by the members themselves, sessions are run in Filwood Community Centre and Easton Community Centre.
Jane’s story
The name of participant and her daughter in this case study have been changed to protect their identity.
Jane is an older woman with dementia who attended Our Music Club regularly in 2022 and 2023 along with her daughter Sophie.
Upon joining the group, Sophie made the team at Our Music Club aware of the challenging situation at home with her mother, explaining that Jane’s condition had become difficult to handle. She told us that Jane’s moods had been fluctuating; she had been violent and confrontational both at home and with new carers.
After a few weeks of attending Our Music Club sessions, both Sophie and the group leaders found a remarkable positive improvement in Jane’s mood and wellbeing. From the moment Jane walked through the door into the sessions, she would express joy at seeing familiar faces again. When the group were sat together in the circle, she would have a good laugh. Jane would also compliment the musicians’ skill, showing gratitude towards the session leaders and respect for all other participants in the session. Interacting with the session leaders and participants even inspired her to exclaim with pride and confidence: ”my mother used to say, if you treat people with respect you’ll get it back”.
Sophie said on multiple occasions that they always looked forward to attending on Thursdays, and that Our Music Club was a place where Jane was truly happy. Their family agreed that attending Our Music Club was highly beneficial for both Jane and her daughter.
The music makes me feel happy, relaxed, joyful, at peace, alright – I like coming because it is so friendly and calm, you know what we’re going to do next’
Jane
Reflection logs
Jane, Sophie and the session leaders completed written accounts after each session that noted how participants acted in the session and any changes in mood.
May 2022 The session leaders noticed Jane has had improved relationships within the group, going from being sat on her own, feeling confused and agitated, and asking questions like ”what are we doing here”, to interacting with other participants, including touching and giving cuddles.
October 2022 Sophie said she’d like to be able to access the songs from Our Music Club to play them at home with her mother, who has been so engaged.
October 2022 Jane was more settled in mood, laughing throughout the session. The session leaders celebrated her when she had a go at conducting.
October 2022 Jane was cheerful, participating and really enjoying the session today. She had a special moment of connection and tenderness with her daughter, after Sophie said that the melody reminded her of her dad. Jane put her hand affectionately and calmly onto Sophie, and said ”mummy is always here”.
November 2022 Jane was now engaging lots with the other participants and had a brilliant moment conducting them – demonstrating a real increase in confidence and ease.
January 2023 Jane showed empathy and care towards a new friend in the session.
I’ve heard so much different music that I wouldn’t hear anywhere else. I’ve heard live accordion […] beautiful trumpet, beautiful guitar. And being able to be part of that and build my own confidence in chiming in and then being able to sit back and listen when I want to is really nice. So, my confidence has definitely got a lot better since I started coming”
Our Music Club participant
In 2024, our staff and project leaders have also felt a consistent feeling of joy in people arriving to Our Music Club – pleased to be there and stating that it is ”the highlight of their week”.
Staff have witnessed the group building a sense of community and relationships with one another as the sessions go on. They know that for some participants, attending Our Music Club is the only reason they leave the house.
Session leaders have observed significant benefits in the mental wellbeing of participants, including relaxed yawning, spontaneous singing during the tea break, and singing in the taxi ride home.
Positive impacts on mental health and wellbeing
We evaluated the happiness and anxiety of all participants using the Office of National Statistics ONS4 scales from September – July 2024. This method of collecting information is based on the participants’ views of their own individual wellbeing.
- The average starter anxiety score was 5 suggesting the group was mildly anxious (where 10 is high levels of anxiety)
- 46% of members who filled out our ONS data reported an increase in happiness
- Overall, happiness scores increased by 1 point on average
- 62% of members who filled out our ONS data reported a decrease in anxiety
- Overall, anxiety scores decreased by 2 points on average
- Forms were also completed by supporters of people living with dementia. We hope that the improvement in their anxiety and happiness as supporters will also have a positive effect on those they care for.
Our Music Club is delivered in partnership with the Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service and is supported by The Anchor Society, Grateful Society, St. Monica’s Trust and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
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