Yesterday, it was my privilege to provide entertainment for a very happy 90th Birthday party which took place in the new, state of the art, Vida Grange specialist dementia care home in Pannal, Harrogate.
Vida Grange is the second home to be developed by Vida Healthcare and it clearly demonstrates person-centred care at the heart of its’ home.
Today, I was inspired having watched a couple of You Tube videos created by an organisation called Tang Hall SMART CIC, www.tanghallsmart.com The group are doing tremendous work delivering music clubs and classes to the community of York, reaching out to those living with depression, low self esteem, disability, addiction, homelessness and learning difficulties.
I was particularly inspired by watching Sin Bad, a homeless man perform his own song “A Dying Man Lies Homeless” and hearing of the positive benefits he has experienced through “Musication” http://www.tanghallsmart.com/musication-record-label – fully funded part time courses run by the organisation. You can hear Sin Bad tell his story and sing his song in this video.
Open days and a chance to register on a “Musication” course will take place between 1.30 and 4.30pm on 19th and 26th January 2018. The first session will take place on 2nd February 2018. For further details call Sue on 07725 997342
Our first Music for the Mind session after Christmas got off to a rocking good start with some great singing and saw Gill and Bryan dancing away any remaining Christmas excesses to “At the Hop.”
Another special highlight this week was when one of our regular group members sang Edelweiss unprompted from memory on her own.
We’ve got a lovely group of people who attend our Music for the Mind sessions each alternate Monday afternoon and it’s really encouraging seeing them joining in, enjoying themselves and returning week after week.
As well as being good fun, singing is good for your health, getting more oxygen into the blood, increasing the flow of feel good hormones and improving mental health.
Group singing is cheaper than therapy, healthier than drinking, and certainly more fun than working out. It is the one thing in life where feeling better is pretty much guaranteed. Even if you start a session exhausted and depressed, by the end of it you’ll feel high as a kite on endorphins and good will.
Our fortnightly Music for the Mind sessions start again on Monday 8th January from 1.30 – 3.00pm in the Terrace Lounge at the Stamford Bridge Beaumont. Whilst our fun, informal music sessions are designed for those living with dementia and their carers, all are welcome.
I was very interested to hear about work being carried out in Iowa to help those living with Parkinson’s Disease. Researchers are testing if singing can help fight the disease and the results so far look promising.
Iowa State University researchers, who are studying patients in Ames, say that singing improves patients’ breathing. That, in turn, strengthens their muscles that help them swallow and speak.
Great work Iowa State University.
What a lovely Christmas singalong at our final Music for the Mind session before Christmas, such a lot of fun and laughter and some great carol singing. It was especially heart rending to hear Bryan singing a verse of “White Christmas” on his own.
A big thank you to everyone who has supported us this term. We’ve had a great time and it’s wonderful to learn of the health benefits the sessions are already bringing to those who’ve joined us.
Our fun and informal music sessions start again on 8th January 2018 from 1.30 to 3.00pm at the Stamford Bridge Beaumont Care Home.
Please share this news far and wide – I want those those looking after people at home with Dementia and Alzheimer’s to know about the Music for the Mind sessions which are taking place in Stamford Bridge, East Riding of Yorkshire every alternate Monday afternoon. These sessions have been established to give carers and those living with dementia a change of scenery, a chance to meet other carers and a chance to sing, make music and generally enjoy themselves. All are welcome.
The next Music for the Mind session will take place on Monday 9th October at 1.30pm at the Beaumont Care Home, Stamford Bridge. All welcome. What better way to spend a Monday afternoon than singing, making music and having fun with a lovely group of people. 
Now a new report seen exclusively by Channel 4 News reveals that in five years’ time, nine out of ten local authorities in England will not have enough care home places to match the demand of the growing elderly population.
https://www.channel4.com/news/most-councils-will-not-have-enough-care-home-places
Take five and a half minutes to watch this fascinating initiative “Bike Around” created for those living with dementia. The film stars Bengt from Sweden and incorporates Google Street View. Absolutely inspirational – it reduced me to tears.
Ruth Strangeway - Singer 
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