South West Music Therapy Appeal

Help us fund more music therapy hours across the South West of England

Music therapy allows people living with dementia to express themselves when they struggle to communicate in other ways.

It’s not until you lose the power of speech that you realise what a crucial element it is for self expression and communication with others. It's one reason why people living with dementia often experience fear and anxiety in their daily lives. But music therapy can provide an alternative, non-verbal method of engagement and creativity.

Joyce was a resident at our Langholme Care Home. See her story here:

We want to provide music therapy to all of our 205 residents in our six specialist dementia care homes across the South West.

£164,160 would provide music therapy to all our residents for one year - but we need your help to do this.

Your support will make a positive difference to older people living with dementia and to their families.

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Event Essentials

General Information Date of event: Available all year Contact number: 01332 221641 Course detail:

Here's how your donation could make a difference:

£30 could pay for an individual music therapy session, giving someone the opportunity to express their feelings.

£45 could pay for a group music therapy session allowing people to interact and enjoy a shared experience.

£360 could pay for a 12-week course of music therapy sessions for one person, easing anxiety and improving their overall feeling of well-being.

The South West Music Therapy Appeal launched on Wednesday 23 November 2016.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Best For Ages? Best For Ages is the fundraising arm of MHA, a national charity that has been caring for older people across Great Britain since 1943. Today, we improve the lives of more than 17,000 older people every year in our care homes, retirement living schemes and Live at Home programme.

What is music therapy? Music therapy is a specialist therapy that uses music to reduce anxiety. Music therapy gives people living with dementia a chance to express themselves, to communicate without needing to find the right words and to help them stay connected.

Why are you raising money for music therapy? With no statutory funding, our music therapy sessions are only made possible by fundraising and donations from amazing people like you.

How will my donation be spent? Your donation to this appeal will go towards funding music therapy in one of the six listed care homes in the South West region above.

Music Therapy in words

"Dad struggles to form sentences now and doesn't know the words to songs or hymns anymore. Thanks to music therapy each week, he can listen to, play on the keyboard and whistle his favourite tunes. Thanks to his Music Therapist Laura, he has the opportunity to continue to enjoy one of his favourite activities. I have also seen other residents taking part in the group music therapy sessions - people whom I had previously never seen react to any stimulus - who suddenly recognise a tune and nod their head to it. If the service could be expanded I think that would be wonderful."

Claire McCabe, the daughter of a resident at our Brockworth House Care Home, on the impact music therapy has had on her father.

"I have to think before I say anything. I do it in my mind before I speak it. I sort of have control of my voice but I don’t have to think of the words, it just flows when I’m singing."

Fitzwarren House resident Sheila Johnson, who lives with dementia, speaking about the impact music therapy has had on her.

Learn more about music therapy at MHA by visiting the MHA YouTube channel.

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