Where we’re at. An update on our app.

We have now launched version 1 of this Web App and are looking for families affected by dementia, who would like to use the App and share with us their experience of using it and their perceptions of the effect the music is having on their loved one with dementia.

Continue reading

Sing from the Heart by Clare Childs

From Hertfordshire

Clare Childs shares her ‘Sing from the Heart’ project with us:

Her dementia friendly singalong started in a local care home in September 2019. Shortly after, the live singalong got postponed and she went online in March 2020. The project has gotten 140,000 videos views since. For December 2020, Clare created a musical advent calendar with daily videos for care homes, with songs to sing for residents living with memory loss or dementia (as reported by ITV News in the video below). She was inspired by her mother, who has dementia and enjoys singalongs.

Clare is now looking to develop this further to keep care homes, carers and families living with dementia connected in these isolating times! She is looking for funding that could help make that happen. Here is how to watch the videos and get in touch with Clare:

FACEBOOK Sing from the Heart – Harpenden: https://www.facebook.com/claresingfromtheheart/

YOUTUBE Sing from the Heart Harpenden: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCutgnvGbq9z0FdBDSqoEp4w

PLAYLIST Songs: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLILE2fquUYF0EJQpUWCBDqM_sFYao-vR6

INSTAGRAM: @singfromtheheartuk

TWITTER: @singfromthehea1

Sing from the Heart on ITV News

4 generations share 4 songs

4 Generations share 4 songs

Stefan Szczelkun shares how 4 generations were united by music

Stefan, together with his son and grandson, visited his mother Joan to sing, and play, some songs that she might remember from her youth – she was born in 1926. Here is what he shares about the experience:

‘I’d heard about music being a key way to communicate with people with dementia but hadn’t done much about it when I saw the BBC site of snippets of songs from decades. My Mum’s life began in 1926 so I started by listening to the ’20s and ’30s lists. I was surprised to find many songs I recognised from our family radio in the Fifties. Joan has always danced since she’s been in the care home – but not sung. It was only in the last year that I got more confidence in my own singing. 

I started to practice singing some of the songs and downloaded lyric sheets. I then got my son and his son involved in playing and singing a small selection to my 92 year old mum in her care home. It was all a positive experience and I hope the video will inspire other people to try something similar.’

Source: https://szczelkuns.wordpress.com/2018/11/24/music-memory-and-mum-home-movie/

Dementia Care and Music – News update

The National Campaign Music for Dementia 2020 has launched the first ever online Musical Map for Dementia. The idea is to have one centralised platform with information of all music-based activities and services nationwide, for people living with dementia, in order to improve their dementia care.

Continue reading

Colourful stones in support of Music for my Mind

Support for our charity comes from unexpected places all the time!

A group of seventeen 16-17 year olds joined Harpenden National Citizen Service this summer with an aim of supporting local charities.

They spent a week taking part in outdoor activities, a second week learning life skills such as first aid training, budgeting and meeting employers. The final two weeks they chose several charities to support.

Dementia affects so many of us and so they related to our cause, after watching our 3-minute video, showing the impact of music on those living with dementia. Though the tears, they decided that Music for my Mind was the charity they had to raise awareness for.

It was the summer holidays, so what better than a stone hunt for members of the community?!  30 stones were decorated and placed around Harpenden, Hertfordshire with details of our website to visit.  One stone had ‘winner’ written on the back where the lucky finder would be awarded a prize.

Did you find any of these beautifully drawn stones? Or even better, were you the winner? Let us know or send us your pictures with the stones! You can contact us here.