Whistle While you Work: The Power of Music in the Care at Home Setting
Music is well known for its therapeutic qualities; we all know it can soothe, motivate, and lift mood. But what happens to all of those wonderful musical memories if we can’t access them? They may lie dormant; rekindled only by a chance airing, maybe on the TV or radio. Such a shame!
We tend to stream our music now; CD sales are declining, and record players largely only the domain vinyl enthusiasts. Sadly, unless a person knows their way around mobile apps, access to their favourite tunes can be difficult. For most of us, we just wouldn’t be without music, but it has even greater importance for those who are vulnerable or spend most of their time at home.
Music as Therapy
Music can not just be uplifting – it can have a powerful effect on our mind AND body. If you have ever watched ‘Awakenings’, you may have heard of Oliver Sacks, a respected neurologist, and prolific neurology writer. He was the doctor that Robin Williams played the part of in the film. Astonishingly, he discovered how music can help people with Parkinson’s disease-related conditions regain limb function by listening to music, which he termed ‘kinetic melody’. There has been ongoing research into the therapeutic power of music since, with well-known charities working to extol the virtues of a good tune, particularly for people with dementia and other life-limiting conditions.
Care workers have the power (and tech savvy!)
If you haven’t already, it’s a great idea to ask those you support about their musical preferences and if they have access to music. Perhaps there’s a CD unit or even a record player gathering dust in the house – lying dormant for the simple reason that it’s not plugged in! Furthermore, those who have a phone or iPad may only use it for making calls and don’t know that they have a world music library at their fingertips. Spend a little time helping them get their favourite tunes on, and well, if you know the words, have a sing-song whilst you work!
If you think this is something you can add to your wonderful list of talents as a care worker, check out Playlist for Life, a Glasgow Charity that seeks to help those who support others with the gift of music.
Here at SCA, we say: “Bring back those warm memories of heydays, young love and boogie nights at the Palais!”
