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In response to the strong evidence supporting the benefits of singing to people with dementia, ARC worked with local service providers to deliver a six week pilot project using music to positively impact people with dementiaand their carers in October- November 2009.
The weekly sessions were led by professional musician, Rebecca Pedlow, and offered participants and their carers the opportunity to sing and socialise in a friendly, relaxed environment. The sessions were run at ARC for those experiencing mild to moderate dementia and at Allison House for those experiencing later stage dementia.
This project answers the current agenda that promotes well-being and preventative strategies to address mental health issues and increases choice and control over the shaping of service delivery for service users and carers as well as supporting the National Dementia, Carers and Long Term Conditions Strategy.
The project focused on people's strengths rather deficits promoting self-esteem, providing gentle exercise to encourage mobility and better physical health and relieve some of the separation anxiety incurred by participants, when required to make separate leisure arrangements. Santender have funded the project to run for a year starting in September 2010, at ARC and at care homes in Stockton on Tees. This project will encourage activity and social interaction in a stimulating environment, which provides a safe place to learn new skills. The benefits to both patients and carers of developing this project on a longer term basis are to develop their confidence and self-esteem positively, which will enable them to pursue a more independent lifestyle.
The plan is to engage clients and staff in two programmes of work: - To continue the weekly singing group at ARC
- To engage with six care homes and to provide a training programme using professional singer/s to work alongside and train the staff to provide weekly singing sessions at six care homes in the borough.
- To raise awareness of the success of Mindfull of Music and to disseminate this across the borough
- To create a sustainable model for using singing as a therapeutic tool to support mental wellbeing
- To engage, those experiencing dementia, in a singing course at ARC to raise confidence, social and independence skills
- To train care home staff to understand the importance of engaging those at the later stages of dementia, in a music programme which can improve quality of life for the participants.
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