Manchester Camerata launches a pioneering Music in Mind dementia café initiative across Greater Manchester.
- The programme partners with Alzheimer’s Society and University of Manchester to improve dementia care.
- Weekly Music Cafés will be available in ten boroughs, fostering meaningful interaction through music.
- Manchester Camerata aims to train 300 Music Champions to sustain the programme.
- The initiative will support over 1,000 dementia patients over three years, with potential for national implementation.
Manchester Camerata, with significant financial backing from Mayor Andy Burnham, the NHS in Greater Manchester, and The National Association of Social Prescribing, has introduced a groundbreaking Music in Mind dementia café programme across Greater Manchester. In collaboration with The Alzheimer’s Society and the University of Manchester, this initiative aims to enhance dementia care through music.
The programme will operate in all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, providing weekly Music Cafés in community centres, church halls, and dementia support groups. These cafés are designed to offer ‘in the moment’ person-centred care for dementia sufferers and their carers, employing Manchester Camerata’s award-winning Music in Mind techniques. This approach allows participants to engage in music-making without needing previous experience, fostering non-verbal communication and emotional connections.
To facilitate the programme’s expansion, Manchester Camerata plans to train over 300 individuals as Music Champions, empowering them to lead these music sessions. Such efforts are expected to reach over 1,000 individuals with dementia in Greater Manchester within three years. The initiative collaborates with local partners, including Age UK, Mind, Together Dementia Support, HMR Circle, and Bolton Dementia Support, to recruit these Music Champions.
A critical component of the programme is the collaboration with the University of Manchester and NHS GM to conduct anonymised research into the impact of the music sessions. This research aims to validate the therapeutic benefits of music in dementia care, providing evidence for potential cost savings for the NHS and the development of new care models that could be replicated across England.
Mayor Andy Burnham has expressed his support for the initiative, emphasising the importance of integrating music into dementia healthcare. He noted that these Music Cafés would offer vital support to those affected by dementia, potentially serving as a template for more integrated health and social care approaches nationwide.
Janet Fulton, principal percussionist with Manchester Camerata, highlighted the profound joy and transformative impact observed in the participants through these sessions. She reflected on the privilege of witnessing the positive effects of music-based interaction on individuals with dementia and their carers, underscoring music’s role as a fundamental communication tool.
The Music in Mind programme represents a significant step towards integrating music into dementia care, with the potential to transform national healthcare practices.
