Music sessions aim to drum up help for people with dementia

A Tameside community centre will host a weekly music cafe for people with dementia organised by Manchester Camerata.

The announcement follows a successful bid to launch the UK's first Centre of Excellence for Music and Dementia with the support of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and the NHS.

The cafes will be presented in partnership with the Alzheimer's Society and the University of Manchester.

Tameside's sessions will take place on Wednesdays from 10.30am at Broadoak Community Centre, 160 Broadoak Road, Ashton.

A spokesman said: "Manchester Camerata believes everyone deserves access to this life changing support. At each music cafe people living with dementia and their carers are invited to take part in music making using a wide range of percussive instruments. The sessions create a meaningful conversation without words.

"Camerata will also train more than 300 people - to be called Music Champions - in their Music in Mind techniques, eventually enabling them to run their own music cafes.

"The aim of the Centre of Excellence is the creation of a true partnership between health and care providers, voluntary organisations, music providers and dementia support organisations.

"It will test new approaches to embedding music as part of dementia care, gather evidence of cost savings for the NHS and design new models of care which could be scaled up and spread across England."

Mr Burnham said: “I know from my own experience how tough dementia can be for families. Sadly, too many people across Greater Manchester will know the pain and the frustration of seeing a loved one going through this disease.

"But they will also know the dedication and compassion of those doing all they can to care for the people affected. The work that Manchester Camerata and its partners are doing to improve lives and embed music into dementia healthcare is more important than ever. These music cafes will offer crucial support for people living with dementia across our city-region and provide a national model for a more integrated approach to health and social care policies.”

Janet Fulton, Principal Percussion with Manchester Camerata and Music in Mind practitioner added: “Running these dementia Music Cafés for over a decade in care homes, community groups and supported living settings, has been one of the greatest highlights, and most rewarding part of my career. Witnessing first-hand the impact and pure joy that our wonderful participants experience through them leading our musical interaction with instruments, gestures and sounds, is a real privilege.

And to see their carers visibly relax during these sessions and help them reconnect with their loved ones and residents through music is an incredible honour and such a special opportunity as a musician.  I have been able to witness first-hand the real transformative effect music has on people’s lives, and how music fundamentally is about communication.”