Music Helps People With Dementia Reconnect

We are delighted to announce the release of a short film by the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust showing our Wishing Well programmes work with older people living with dementia in Community Hospitals. We use music to build a bridge across the isolation caused by dementia, helping people to connect with the people around them again.

Lead Nurse Lucy Frost told us that, ''It brings the patients and staff and visitors all together, and it helps us  also known a little bit about the patient, because to every point in somebody's life, they often have a song about it.''

Wishing Well brings live music-making interactions right to people’s bedsides and to communal spaces to help relieve the anxiety and isolation that they can experience. Soundtracks we accumulate throughout our lives are vividly retained in the memories of people even in the late stages of dementia. We  tap into these soundtracks to reduce some of the anxiety they experience.

''It changed the whole environment of our hospital. The staff are more motivated to try different things with the patients, they have introduced games, and the patients find it fun and when you are reflecting fun, than you get fun back, it creates a really good atmosphere.'' Nurse reflects on the effect that music has on the hospital.

Our work is only made possible by our generous supporters please click donate and help us continue to bring music to people!