A musical “lifeline” for people with dementia could improve lives and reduce pressure on the NHS , according to organisers of a project which will analyse the effects of the therapy. More than £1 million has been committed to making Greater Manchester the UK’s first centre of excellence for music and dementia, with a three-year programme, starting in October, delivering regular music cafes for more than 1,000 people living with dementia in the region. Music therapy programmes will be delivered in each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs by the Manchester Camerata orchestra and the Alzheimer’s Society , who will work with the University of Manchester and the NHS on analysing the impact the sessions have.
It is hoped the therapy could reduce the need for health and care services and improve people’s quality of life. Bob Riley, chief executive of Manchester Camerata, said it had been running music cafes for more than 10 years but becoming a centre of national excellence would enable them to reach more people, measure the impact and train an “army” of people to understand the basics of using music for people with dementia. Mr Riley said seeing the reaction from people with dementia to their music cafes could be “magic” and allowed them to “find joy”.
He told the PA news agency: “Why on earth wouldn’t we want to bring joy? It could save costs on medication, improve lives, people even say it has saved their lives. They tell us it is a lifeline.” He ad.
