Help residents to keep learning new songs

• Video Description

  The video highlights the possibility of learning new things at every stage of the dementia journey, including the writing of new songs. Zoe Wren, a music practitioner from Live Music Now, uses a number of strategies to create a new song using ideas generated by the residents, including creating new words to given melodies, and improvising new tunes to predetermined words. They each make a contribution to the end result, which is satisfying for all concerned.

  This session was filmed at Eden Court, Battersea, London (Cinnamon Group).

• Strategies

  • Try to introduce at least one new song every week

  • Invite musicians to support residents to create new songs, with lyrics relevant to their (past) lives

  • Record the songs for future reference and enjoyment so residents can listen to them whenever they wish

  • Share the songs with family and friends (Online where necessary)