Power of music for people with dementia to be showcased at Norwich hospital
Activities Coordinator Mark Rushmere
Health professionals are appealing for musicians to volunteer at an open day celebrating the powerful role music can play in dementia care.
Hammerton Court, a specialist unit supporting older people with dementia and organic mental disorders, will host the event on Friday 12 September, from 10:30am to 1:30pm, at the Julian Hospital site in Norwich.
The open day is free and open to members of the public, carers, families and health professionals. It will feature live music performances, a chance to meet staff, and insights into how Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is incorporating music into personalised care.
Heather Edwards volunteers at Hammerton Court each week.
It follows the success of weekly music sessions at Hammerton Court, led by NSFT's Activities Coordinator Mark Rushmere and supported by volunteer pianist Heather Edwards. After losing her father to dementia 14 years ago, Heather has shared her musical talents not only at the unit, but also at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, local libraries, care homes and community groups.
Mark, who has worked at Hammerton Court for eight years, is passionate about the use of music in healthcare. He has studied music and memory, attended neuroscience seminars, created handouts for staff, and even learned to play the ukulele to perform for service users.
He said: "The use of music within hospital settings has been largely misunderstood. It has such potential to make a meaningful difference in people's lives - so much of my work has been based on researching the subject.
"It has a wide range of benefits. Music helps patients connect to their present, past, their loved ones and their sense of self. It brings social inclusion without asking anything in return. It's powerful."
Mark is also involved in NSFT's Life Story Project, a person-centred initiative that gathers information from patients, carers and families to build a picture of the individual's identity, including important music memories such as wedding songs or teenage favourites. These insights are then used to shape care plans.
He added: "In hospital, people can experience a loss of identity. Music can restore that.
"Research shows that people with dementia often retain clearest memories of music they enjoyed between roughly the ages of 10 and 30, so even without knowing someone's life story in full, we can make meaningful connections by playing music from their teenage and young adult years."
Activities Coordinators Annie Pennell and Mark Rushmere
Annie Pennell, Activities Coordinator at NSFT, also supports the music sessions and sees the impact instantly.
"As soon as the music starts, you can see the change," she said. "For an hour, they're singing, dancing, smiling. They are still people, and they're still in there. Sometimes, people just need a way to reach them."
NSFT is now inviting local musicians to get involved in the event, particularly those who can play music from the 1950s and 60s.
Anthony Deery, Chief Nurse at NSFT, said: "This event shines a spotlight on the inspiring work happening at Hammerton Court and the real impact it has on people's lives. We're proud to support such compassionate, effective and personalised care for our service users."
To register your interest as a performer, please contact Mark.Rushmere@nsft.nhs.uk.
To download photos for media use, please click here: Hammerton Court open day PR assets [zip] 4MB