Music Therapy Event highlights East Lancashire Care Homes Success

Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH) has held a successful ‘Music Therapy Celebration Event’ to mark the amazing achievements of Care Homes in East Lancashire in implementing music therapy for their residents. Abiden Care Home of Burnley, Willow Bank Care Home of Burnley and Holme Manor of Rossendale all received training and subsequently, an award for their outstanding work in ‘Music therapy’ at the event. An additional 15 care homes from the area received Music Therapy participation certificates.

Rolled out across East Lancashire since early 2017, ‘Music Therapy’ utilises specially created music playlists featuring songs that are personal and full of meaning to the person that is living with dementia. The playlists are played to care home residents and can help to transform their lives by evoking powerful memories and enabling them to reconnect to their loved ones and carers. The ‘Music Therapy’ training has been developed and delivered by the EHCH as part of its ongoing support in improving the lives of care home residents.

Adele Thornburn, Nursing and Quality Manager and Vanguard Programme manager at East Lancashire CCG, commented, “We were thrilled and touched to hear first-hand of the effects that Music Therapy has had on residents with dementia and we are looking to cascade our training across even more homes in 2018, and ultimately integrating it to all our regional care homes as soon as possible.”

Over fifty care home representatives attended the Celebration Event which was also used as a thought sharing platform, where Music Therapy practitioners shared their experiences in implementing the therapy.

Caroline Otieno, who leads the Music Therapy Training, said, “Coming together and celebrating the achievements of the care homes was fabulous! So many care home representatives were there are each one took away new learnings to implement music therapy in their homes.”