Connecting music, people and memories in care home project
Perth College UHI Computing students have been involved with a partnership project to benefit older adults at the Louise Brae Care Home in Perth.
Students from Perth College UHI spent time with residents at the Louise Brae Care Home in Perth to identify songs which were personal to them. The students then downloaded the music onto mp3 players ready for the residents to use with their own headphones.
The partnership project involved NHS Tayside, Perth College UHI, Perth & Kinross Council, charity Playlist for Life, Louise Brae Care Home and the Rotary Club of Perth Kinnoull.
Playlist for Life is a charity which recognises and promotes the tremendous benefits which music can make in transforming a person’s life, particularly those with dementia. Music often triggers autobiographical memory, can renew a sense of identity or give someone a sense of belonging.
The equipment required for the project was provided by the Rotary Club of Perth Kinnoull and the Rotary District 1010 Scotland North. Funding was also provided from the Perth & Kinross Council befriending fund and the Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund.
NHS Tayside falls service manager Carolyn Wilson said, “By creating personal playlists, residents can have access to their own music at any time of the day or night. Music can have a calming influence, bring back memories and cheer people up. This has been a very successful project and celebrated the importance of intergenerational working.”
Perth College UHI lecturer Ian Turnbull said, “This is a fantastic befriending project which used the skills, expertise and time of our students to greatly enhance the quality of life for care home residents. It brought young and older generations together in a unique way and offered a tremendous experience for all involved.”