The Courier is a proud partner in the Pass the Mic media project, a platform which aims to raise the profiles of women of colour in Scotland and give a voice to their expertise. The project was founded in 2019 and works with the women and organisations behind Gender Equal Media Scotland with support from Women 50:50. This piece is by Dr Ayesha Mehar Shagufta, a policy and public affairs officer for music and dementia charity Playlist for Life, published on National Playlist Day.
Growing up, I played a game called Antakshari with my cousins and friends, where we would divide ourselves into teams and each team would have to sing a Bollywood song, starting with the last consonant of the previous song.
Little did I know at the time, music is a powerful tool that not only protects brain health but also the ability to recall that music from my childhood now brings me back to those memories, people and places.
A personal playlist of music is a therapeutic tool with more than two decades worth of research backing its use.
Playlist for Life is a music and dementia charity that provides vital resources on using personalised music to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their carers.
Increasing awareness of its use can make it more accessible and Playlist for Life does this via a help point network made up of community organisations. We also provide training to professionals engaged in the care of people living with dementia.
The aim is for everyone living with dementia in the UK to have access to this knowledge and everyone they come into contact with know how to use it.
We had a lovely moment this week at the art class when a husband and wife suddenly burst into song and sat singing to each other.
In Fife, steps are being taken towards creating a thriving playlisting community that includes the NHS, schools, libraries, dementia support services, faith centres, befriending organisations, hospitals, sports clubs, care homes and more.
Community groups coming together with a shared understanding of the power of music can create a more enriching experience for people living with dementia and reduce stigma.
In order for this to happen, connections were facilitated by hosting an event at the Dunfermline Carnegie Library in August 2022.
Our communities officer, Pam Ribbeck, who ran the event said: “By tapping into the existing dementia friendly network in Fife we have met some truly inspiring and wonderful people doing great work, like the peer support group STAND who now host dementia-friendly meeting centre spaces across Fife.
Organisations like Fife Carers Centre, Alzheimer Scotland in Kirkcaldy, Crossreach Heart for Art in Dunfermline, Sporting Memories Foundation Scotland and Crossroads Befriending are now sharing our resources and using them in activities.
OnFife libraries are displaying our free resources in 12 of their larger branches.
In Glenrothes, charity Later Life Choices connected with the dementia-friendly Leslie Primary School and P6 students have been helping people living with dementia find songs for their personal playlists through activities like sing-a-longs and making personal playlist posters.
Since the event we have continued to provide networking opportunities for groups to share their ideas and activities.
Our longstanding partnership with Helen Skinner, an Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Nurse Consultant at NHS Fife, who has trained community mental health team support workers and volunteers, had this to say: “The power of music is so significant, we must work together to unleash its potential by using it as a therapeutic intervention to support people with dementia, enhancing the care we provide.”
Crossreach Heart for Art includes music from the participants during art sessions and found it to create a more enjoyable atmosphere.
Liz Wilson, one of the volunteers at Heart for Art, said: “Our CrossReach Heart for Art sessions, accompanied by our group playlist of personally meaningful music, are going well and participants are really enjoying listening and, in some cases, singing along as they paint.
“We had a lovely moment this week at the art class when a husband and wife suddenly burst into song and sat singing to each other.
“I am also finding the playlist a huge help in getting to know everyone who comes along.
“One lady I worked with happily chatted about memories evoked by nearly all the music we played on Monday. She and I painted and sang together throughout the morning – the music definitely compliments the art activity.”
One of Hellen Skinner’s colleague from NHS Fife who was at the event, even made a Fife-themed playlist.
This reminded me of my own heritage and folk songs that are a part of my culture.
Where are the help points in Fife?
The event was a success thanks to the organisations and amazing people that were a part of it. We now have over 20 help points in Fife alone and over 2,500 all over the UK.
The building of a playlisting community is just the beginning. We want to embed the use of personalised music into all aspects of dementia life and care.
If you are living with dementia or know someone that does and would like to know where the closest help point is to you is, give us a shout.
This #NationalPlaylistDay we would love to hear what’s on your playlist.
If you are a community-based organisation we would love to connect with you and share our free resources.
The more help points there are, there are more possibilities of building a playlisting community in your area.
If you live in or nearby Fife and would like to know more about the organisations or services mentioned, then you could reach out to them or to us and we’d be happy to direct you.
Weekly STAND dementia friendly meeting centre spaces can be found at the following locations:
- Kennoway Community Shed
- North East Fife Community Hub
- Jean Mackie Centre, Dunfermline
- Ostlers House, Kirkcaldy
- Kinghorn Community Centre
- Methilhaven Care Home
- Eats Rosyth
- Cadham Neighbourhood Centre
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