Many residents have enjoyed the mixture of songs that I perform, and for me it's a joy to see the interaction from residents. Seeing them sing along makes this type of gig very meaningful to me.
Besides being a singer and entertainer I am training to be a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, and have used music as a form of therapy for years.
I also provide music therapy at local care homes. I specialise in:
Dementia • Learning Disability • Mental Health Condition • Old Age • Physical Disability • Sensory Impairment • Younger Adults
Music can awaken buried memories or evoke emotional responses that may otherwise be inaccessible. In this way, it can obtain results that may take weeks to achieve with talking therapies. It can be a useful route to healing for people of any age or background.
Music therapy may be used to make contact with people if they are very withdrawn and reluctant to have anything to do with other people. The advantage of music is that, because it is sound, it is difficult to avoid it. Even if they feel unable to respond to people, they are obliged to hear the music, if not to consciously to listen to it; and a skilled therapist will use music to keep them engaged and lead them to a response.
Sometimes people ‘shut down’, and I have found music to be very beneficial, and at times evocative, which often provokes a response.
The effectiveness of this type of Entertainment Therapy was witnessed at the Landgale Care Home where a member of staff was amazed and stated that “They were all singing along in their own little worlds”. Whilst there, I also had the very special honour of singing for a lady celebrating her 102nd Birthday!
Those in care homes and day centres who do not need this type of therapy also enjoy the show, as they enjoy hearing a passionate singer performing popular songs.
It has also worked in hotels: at one I was told three times that certain residents would go to bed before the second set.
Three times I proved the staff wrong: 90% of the residents stayed until the end of the show! On my last performance this included a lady who was celebrating her 100th Birthday - she held on to her balloon and stayed to the very end!
