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Help evoke musical memories for a loved one this Carers Week
We offer free advice and support to help families harness the special benefits of personal music for people living with dementia.
Over two decades of scientific research has shown that listening to a personalised playlist can improve the wellbeing of those living with dementia, reducing anxiety and helping to evoke memories that can help families and carers connect. Creating a playlist can also have many benefits for the carer, forging a connection with a loved one over shared memories and offering respite.
Carers Week is an annual awareness campaign run by Carers UK to make caring Visible, Valued and Supported, highlighting the contribution unpaid carers make to families across the UK.
This week, we’re amplifying the voices of the carers we have worked with, sharing their experience of creating a personalised playlist with their loved one and the moments of joy that it brought them.
We both really loved the conversations that we had with Playlist for Life and it encouraged us to talk right back through our lives. We had a good laugh about it and we don’t have a lot of laughs nowadays. It’s not so much a nostalgia associated with it for us, it’s more about the vibrancy of all the experiences that we’ve had. We’ve been able to remember them and rekindle the excitement of them and it’s brilliant that both of us still remember stand out gigs with the same level of excitement.
Free webinar for carers
If you have lived experience of dementia, come along to our free webinar on Tuesday 14th June, 11am to find out more about the power of personalised playlists for your loved one.
This 1 hour session will introduce the benefits of personal music for dementia, show you how to track down the best music for a personalised playlist, and give tips on how to listen to your playlist.
Carol went into a world of her own after her diagnosis and I was trying everything to support her anyway I could. Since discovering Playlist for Life she has completely transformed. The whole experience has been a brilliant bonding exercise as we go through songs which bring back good times and feelings. Being a carer for someone, no matter their condition, is incredibly hard. I would urge anyone in the same position to consider looking into building their own playlist as it’s been an excellent tool, not just with helping improve Carol’s mood, but my own mood and outlook on life too.
Where can I find support?
Below we have signposted some other organisations that offer support services to unpaid carers. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and there may be more support available to you within your local community.
