Year started: 2014

Music for Dementia is a cross-sector national campaign to make music an integral part of dementia care in the UK. We already include more than 200 organisations from the NHS, care sector, third sector and music sector plus thousands of individual supporters, many with lived experience. All over the country there are pockets of excellence, where general practitioners are prescribing music, musicians are leading dementia choirs and music therapists are providing specialist services. Carers and individual families are discovering the difference that can be made to the life of someone living with dementia, by choosing the right song or piece of music at the right time. Music is the powerful, but as yet underused tool for supporting people living with dementia and must become an integrated part of dementia care. Music for Dementia is calling for greater collaboration between government, the music sector, health and social care and communities working at the grassroots to ensure that everyone living with dementia has access to music as part of their dementia care.

Objectives

The campaign’s objectives are to: (1) ensure people with dementia are reached and supported in their access to appropriate music as an integral part of their care plan; and (2) make carers, health workers, politicians, the music sector and the general public aware of the benefits of music for people living with dementia.

Scope

The campaign works with the following audiences: People living with dementia; Family and friends of those living with dementia (unpaid carers); Paid carers; Health and social care practitioners e.g. GPs, nurses, Allied Health Professionals, Link Workers; Music professionals, including music therapists; Policy and decision makers from across sectors – health, social care, music; Government; Philanthropy.