The power of Music & Memory

Since being introduced in Australia by the Arts Health Institute in November last year, the program has featured on the ABC’s Catalyst program and on Radio National.

Eight months later, around 50 residential aged care and community care organisations around the country are accredited to run Music & Memory.

“The program is going from strength to strength,” says Dr Maggie Haertsch, co-founder and chief executive officer of the Arts Health Institute.

“It’s really revolutionary to see what happens through Music & Memory in the aged care space.”

Dr Haertsch explains that Music & Memory is much more than simply giving someone an iPod with music on it and an important part of the program is the accreditation that comes with it.

“Sometimes people may have heard about Music & Memory or they have seen the Catalyst program and think ‘great, I’m going to do that in our facility’.

“But if it’s completely left up to that person to put the iPod on whenever they’re visiting or when they’re on their shift it easily peters out.”

She says a lot of the sustainability of the program lies in the resources, support and ongoing training available through the Arts Health Institute to keep the teams motivated.

“We know that a dose of music once a week is not enough. The most effective services using Music & Memory provide updated playlists, making sure the music is personal and that it’s available all the time.

“They get the family involved, from looking at playlists to enjoy the music together with the resident through two headphones.”

The Arts Health Institute supports accredited sites with the implementation of the program and training of staff through online tools and webinars.

“What we’re providing is ongoing support. It’s an annual process where we’re also wanting to measure impact. We want to see how many different playlists have been created for all the different people who are receiving services. To make sure that it grows,” Dr Haertsch explains.

“The dream is to have an iPod for every bed.”

IRT Kangara Waters is one of the residential aged care facilities that signed up for the Music & Memory program.

“There is a fair bit of work involved to set it up but the benefits are fantastic,” says Kangara waters Lifestyle Manager Glenn Irvine.

“You only have to observe your residents and their family members experiencing the time together to see it’s worth it.”

Kangara Waters has been running the program for about two months and currently has four residents with personal playlists who get a daily dose of music.

The facility is still in the implementation stage of the program with training staff, identifying other residents that would benefit from the program and collecting information from family members to tailor the playlists to each individual, but the initiative has been well received.

Lifestyle Officer Susan Dowley has seen the effect Music & Memory can have on residents and their family first hand.

She tells the story of a resident with some behavioural issues but an interest in music.

“One day as I put the headphones on this lady, her daughter came in. I had left her some earphones too so she could listen to the music as well. When I came back later I saw the two of them holding hands, looking at each other with beautiful smiles, singing a song they used to sing together.

“For her daughter it was the most beautiful experience. She said ‘it’s really hard to find things to do with your loved one’. It made such a difference on her outlook with her mum.”

Another resident, who’s dementia has progressed so much that he engages very little, has been coming to life through Music & Memory.

“He used to play the violin and had a big life. To see him slowly slip away has been really hard for his family to see,” Ms Dowley says.

“We’ve put on his particular music and have seen the light in his eyes return. He was smiling, made eye contact and tried to have a conversation with me, which was magical.

“One weekend I put the music on him and got his wife to listen too. When I came back later she was holding his hand and she had tears running down her face because it was the first time in a very long time that they had been able to share something they really lovely together.”

The lifestyle team members say the value of becoming accredited through the Arts Health Institute has been the training and support they receive through the website and webinars and the ability to share experiences through the online forums.

“Everything has been made very easy for us,” says Tina Raymond, Lifestyle Coordinator at Kangara Waters.

“There is a document that we can hand to family members asking for playlists, assessment forms, forms helping us indicate the reactions of residents through facial expressions.

“Training on the technical aspects has been really beneficial because if you don’t know much about iTunes and iPods it can be a bit tricky. It definitely would be hard starting something on your own without that support,” she says.

And it’s not only residents in nursing home settings reaping the rewards from Music & Memory.

NovaCare was one of the first community care providers in Australia to offer the program to its consumers late last year.

The provider had already connected with the Arts Health Institute through the Intergenerational Sing Out Loud Together (SOLT) choirs for elders who live in their own homes and Year 6 students for over 3 years.

After seeing the impact SOLT had on elders energy and happiness the organisation went looking for further opportunities to offer music in different ways.

“We were also very aware of Music & Memory’s ongoing overseas research and evaluation of personalised music in both residential and community aged care environments shows consistent positive results,” says NovaCare chief executive officer Joseph McCarthy.

NovaCare sees benefits of Music & Memory for consumers living in the community with chronic cognitive and physical impairments, but more generally for people who are in pain, feeling depressed or isolated.

The program is provided to some consumers who are receiving a Home Care Package, who attended the organisation’s Social Centre and to guests who visit its Overnight and Day Respite Cottage.

“Music & Memory is available to all our consumers and guests that would benefit from receiving the gift of music to add renewed meaning and connection in their lives,” according to Mr McCarthy.

He says some of the initial impacts NovaCare saw for some of their elders was inspirational to staff.

“It’s the smile that lights up a consumer’s face once they recognise the music that is playing, it’s the memories brought back that show across their faces and the pure joy that they once again share, a precious moment with their loved ones that was long forgotten.

“It is a powerful way for family and friends to share music together, to remember stories and experiences,” Mr McCarthy says. 

“To personally witness and have some footage of the first moment some elders used the iPods and the impact of their emotions and happiness was very affirming that we were involved in a program that was very special and individual.”

As an End of Financial Year Bonus the Arts Health Institute now offers new services signing up for the program $1,000 worth of free extra’s, which includes 15 months of accreditation in the first year instead of the usual 12 months and an extra iPod shuffle.

The Institute is holding short 20-minute webinar information sessions throughout June for organisations wanting to find out more.

“Even if a provider is not quite organised yet, they can have more time to organise their team to implement Music & Memory in their organisation,” Dr Haertsch says.

Visit the Arts Health Institute online, email ahi@artshealthinstitute.org.au or call (0)2 8354 1953 for more information.